CUMMINGTON — The Ox Teamster’s Challenge, an event that tests the bond between teamsters and oxen and highlights the intelligence and agility of these massive animals, returns to the Cummington Fair this weekend.
“I just believe oxen are so beautiful,” said Nan Clark. “If they’ve been raised with loving kindness they’ll do anything for you.”
Clark, 93, founded the challenge with Mernie Clark, then her husband, in 1995. Clark credits Mernie with coming up with the idea for the challenge, which consists of oxen navigating a timed obstacle course while dragging a log. Gentle commands are a requirement for the competition, and plastic whips are banned.
The event will take place on Saturday, starting at 1:30 p.m., at the Lumberjack Arena.
“It goes all afternoon,” Clark said.
Clark has been the announcer at the event for every one of the Ox Teamster’s Challenges, and this year promises to be no different.
“You can’t keep me away from the microphone,” Clark said.
While Clark said some people have pre-registered, she said that most people register the day of the competition.
“We don’t know until the day of the challenge (the number of people who will participate),” Clark said.
This will be the 27th challenge, with the event having not been held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenge made its return last year at the Cummington Fair, which Clark said drew a “standing room only crowd.”
Renovations to the siding on the front of the R.H. Conwell Elementary School are underway in a $150,000 facelift for the building that was approved by Town Meeting earlier this year.
“We’re finally getting it done,” said Select Board Member Charley Rose. “The peeling siding paint has been driving people crazy for a few years now.”
“I think it’s a great thing to do,” said Select Board Chairwoman Amy Wang.
Wang said the siding area was constructed better than was previously thought, although whether that will lead to changes in the cost of the project has yet to be determined.
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz, the superintendent and principal at R.H. Conwell, spoke prior to a scheduled Wednesday meeting about the timeline for the project between the Select Board, project manager and school.
“It looks like it’s moving right along,” she said, and will be an improvement. “You won’t see paint peeling,” she said.
“Local Eyes: Looking at Our Town,” the exhibition of the works of local photographers at the Meekins Library, will stay up through Sept. 29.
“We’ve captured a really wonderful town in a snapshot of life here,” said Daria D’Arienzo, the library’s archivist.
D’Arienzo is the curator for the exhibition of Haydenville and Williamsburg photographers, as well as an exhibitor in it.
The exhibit consists of 56 photographs on paper, as well as a digital gallery of dozens more on the site. It was organized as part of the town’s 250th anniversary celebration, as well as to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Meekins Library, and the images were all taken in town.
The seven photographers are Rochelle Wildfong, Jim Weigang, Eric Weber, Helen Symons, David McIntyre, Elaine Hyde, and D’Arienz0.
“Everybody here has a relationship with the library in some way and has for years,” said.
She also said public reaction to the exhibit has been positive.
“People have really loved it,” D’Arienzo said. “They’ve really loved to see the perspective that each photographer took.”
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.