World record broken at Austin

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Published on Thursday, August 4, 2016

Photos by Diane Ruzycki. A view of the world record attempt.

By Ken Waddell

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

Ahead of Sunday’s record attempt, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank advertised on their web site they planned Harvesting Hope: a World Record to Help the Hungry. They expected 600 volunteers from across Canada who would harvest a field of wheat with 146 old-fashioned threshing machines from the early 20th century. They were expecting 146 machines, which combined, are capable of harvesting more than 20,000 bushels of wheat per hour. They would be driven by 6,100 horsepower of engine capacity.

When the dust had settled Sunday evening, Harvesting Hope had met and surpassed their expectations. Manitoba became home to another world record July 31, when 139 antique threshing machines harvested a field simultaneously for 15 minutes at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum in Austin, MB. 

Crews feed the threshing machines during the world record attempt.

Nearly 8,000 people came to the Museum to watch 750 volunteers from across Canada and the U.S. break the Guinness World Record for “most threshing machines operating simultaneously.” The previous record was 111 machines, held by a group from St. Albert, Ontario.  

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Elliot Sims, co-organizer of Harvesting Hope: A World Record to Help the Hungry, held at the 62nd Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede at the Museum.   “It was a great project to be part of. We had 139 machines running for the duration with 3,900 cylinder inches capacity with an average of 26 inches. I am told the St. Albert, Ontario group only had two 28 machines in their group and we had 55 28” machines on the grounds with some larger and some smaller. They might be able to challenge us in number of machines, but their machines are much smaller so it’s doubtful if they would be able to get the capacity of 17,000 bushels per hour,” explained Sims.

Firing up some of the steam engines.

“You just don’t see stuff like this anymore,” he said. “The energy from the participants and crowd was amazing. You could feel the pride and excitement.”  

The record is unofficial until it is certified by Guinness World Records. 

Altogether, 75 acres of winter wheat was bound and 30,000 sheaves were cut to be threshed during the event. Combined, the machines were capable of threshing approximately 17,000 bushels of wheat per hour, with 6,100 horsepower of engine capacity driving them.  

“This was truly a celebration of our agricultural heritage,” said Sims. “We’re all very happy to have succeeded, and the feedback we’re getting is great. Everyone seems to have really enjoyed themselves.” 

Funds raised at the event will be split between the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, which hosted the world record attempt, and Canadian Foodgrains Bank. A final tally will be available in a few weeks.

The funds going to the Foodgrains Bank will be used to help small-scale farm families in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya learn to grow more and better food so they can better provide for their families. The funds going to the Manitoba Agricultural Museum will be used to help it continue to preserve Manitoba’s agricultural heritage.  

“We were really proud to be a part of this record-breaking event,” says John Longhurst, Director of Resources and Public Engagement with the Foodgrains Bank.  

“Since the Foodgrains Bank was created by and for Canadian farmers, it’s only fitting, and a huge honour, to be part of the effort to break the record for using antique farm machines, and to also raise money to help end global hunger.”  

A threshing machine at work.

A sight to behold

The string of machines stretched to the horizon and the lines of people even further. The anticipation and excitement was immense as the count down moment came. The big steam whistles blew and the sheaves of wheat started to fly into the hungry giant machines.

The majority of the crowd were upwind and it was a good thing, as the flags were stretched tight by a brisk south-west wind. The chaff almost disappeared in the gusts of wind. Even the noise was muted as the sound of 139 threshing machines and tractors was carried away from the crowds. All you could hear was a determined mechanical growl as the pulleys, belts and ancient threshing cylinders did their job. It was a sight that may never be seen again.

The prototype Versatile Model 1080 tractor, better known as “Big Roy”, recently underwent a complete restoration.