The group of dancers are: The square dancers participating in Sing Swing this weekend in Greely are, standing, from left, John Cole, Shavaun Donohue, Johanna Dwyer, Meredith Mulligan, Sam Cull and Emily Schultz. Sitting, from left, Curtis Schultz, Jamie Schultz and Alex Zomers. Missing are Tanner Bromley and Adrian Straathof.
COBDEN — The Renfrew County Junior Farmers are heading to Sing Swing this weekend at the Greely Legion.
It’s part of the World’s Fair hosted by the Carleton Junior Farmers and the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario. The World’s Fair is this event’s theme for the junior farmers competition.
The Sing Swing part of the World’s Fair is “a celebration of the arts,” said Meredith Mulligan, president of the local junior farmers. “It’s all music with square dancing, waltzing and two stepping.”
But there are a variety of events, including singing, lip syncing, celebrity impersonations, baking, euchre tournament, and photography, she said.
“It’s similar to an exhibit hall at a fair,” Ms. Mulligan said.
Members of the Renfrew County Junior Farmers are competing as a club in square and line dancing competitions, while individuals have signed up to compete in euchre, debating, lip synch battle, baking, photography, drawing, metal art, and maple syrup.
This will be the first time since 1993 that junior farmers from Renfrew County will compete at the provincial games because the club had shut down. While there were various times throughout the years it had tried to re-start, it never did until 2011. The last time the Renfrew County Junior Farmers won the Sing Swing was in 1988.
Ms. Mulligan noted the Renfrew County club has grown by 13 members this year, going from six to 19 and the ages are 15 to 29.
For the square dancing competition, there are four sets of two and a caller. For Renfrew County, two out of the 11, Ms. Mulligan and Alex Zomers, had never done square dancing before.
“We had to learn from scratch,” she said with a laugh.
Since September, the dancers have been practising each Wednesday evening in Steve and Nancy Schultz’s garage. Three of their children, Emily, Curtis and Jamie, are part of the square. The other members are Mulligan, Zomers, Johanna Dwyer, Tanner Bromley and Sam Cull. Shavaun Donohue and Adrian Straathof are spares.
John Cole will be the caller, although it’s been eight years since he has performed in that capacity.
Nancy Schultz said he’s musically inclined, loves to rhyme and has good timing, all necessary for a caller.
In the square dancing competition, the participants are judged on costume, couple chemistry, how well the caller calls, and how well they dance. They must do one of three compulsory dances and dance one they created.
The Renfrew County women will be wearing red-and-white-checkered dresses made by Barb Cole with two layers of crinoline, while the guys will each wear black shirts and dress pants.
Ms. Mulligan and Ms. Cole explained that while many of the participants came from 4-H, junior farmers is different in that there are no leaders.
“We use any resources that are available, like previous junior farmers,” which Ms. Cole and Nancy Schultz are.
Ms. Cole recalled when she was a junior farmer, the Ministry of Agriculture had an office in Renfrew with staff and resources to provide assistance.
The Renfrew County Junior Farmers hosted the winter games three years ago and can host the Autumn Profile in 2017 if they apply and are successful bidders.
