STIRLING, Ont. –In what has become a Father’s Day weekend tradition for many in eastern Ontario, the Stirling Truck Show was held under mostly sunny skies June 18-19. Show participants no doubt appreciated that, unlike in the past, Mother Nature cooperated this year and provided mostly favourable conditions.

The trucks that took part in the show’n’shine were first class with excellent representation from the region. Attendees were most impressed by Brett Akey’s 2003 Peterbilt, voting it Lion’s Choice Award winner for Best in Show. His Pete also won the Best 2003-2005 Working Tractor, Best Interior, Best Professional Show/Flagship Truck and Best Company Tractor-Trailer Combination categories.

Other winners included: Murray Kloosterman, 2006 Peterbilt, Best O/O Working Tractor with Sleeper and Best 2006-2007 Working Tractor; Paul Wilson, 2002 Peterbilt, Best O/O Working Tractor without Sleeper; Robert Thompson, 2011 Kenworth, Best 2010 or Newer Company Working Tractor and Best Company Multi-Axle; Than Vermilyea, 1999 International, Best O/O Multi-Axle; Neil Molenaar, 2008 Peterbilt, Best 2008-2009 Working Tractor; Mark Charron, 2001 Kenworth, Best Cable (ie. Tow truck, crane, etc.); Donny Glust, 1985 Freightliner, Best Pre-2003 Working Tractor -Conventional and Best O/O Tractor-Trailer Combination; Harry Vangemeren, 1964 Mack, Best Vintage Highway Tractor; Mike George, 2002 Kenworth, Best Working Tractor-Dump Trailer Combination; Kevin O’Shaughnessy, 2010 Peterbilt, Best Working Tractor-Train Combination; Harry Tourigny, 1995 International, Best Chrome; Vaughn Hurlbert, 2011 Kenworth, Best Dump Truck; Les Tennant, 1988 Peterbilt, Best Big Rig Tow Truck; Bill Kempt, 1918 Ford, Best Restored Pick-up; Mark Taylor, 2005 Ford, Best Custom Pick-up; Blayne Speers, 2004 GMC, Best Pick-up.

J. Syvret entered five trucks, winning the Best Fleet -Five or More Trucks division as well as the Best Light Show -Fleet award. The Best Light Show award went to Ajaib Samra and his 2005 Peterbilt while Carey Wojtasik won the Best Light Show Combination category with his 2005 Kenworth.

Visitors to the show enjoyed entertainment including a strongman performance and live music and were also able to visit the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage that was located on-site at the fairgrounds. A trade show resided inside the arena with seminars on topics such as CSA 2010 and sleep apnea.