“It has now become a beautiful tradition that many families come to,” said Mayor Inge Nieuwenhuizen, who presented the prize during the New Year’s reception at the town hall. “In addition, service clubs also bid on the pear trees and sell the pears for a good cause. In short, the pear picking working group is a real winner of the Purebred Horse.”
Every year the Purebred Horse is awarded to a group or person who puts De Wolden on the map with an initiative. Pear picking has been a big thing in Ruinerwold for almost 100 years. There are hundreds of trees along the Dokter Larijweg from which people can pick the fruit. The proceeds from this go to the Karstenhoeve museum farm, among other things.
This year there were six contenders to win the prize, including Boerendrokte, volunteers from the Waterlelie Zuidwolde swimming pool, Volksfeest Zuidwolde, volunteers Zwembad Ruinen, XMAX Party Ruinerwold and Perenpluk Ruinerwold.
The pear pickers follow the working group behind the theater play Mina Koes. They won the prize last year. The Purebred Foal was created for the first time this year, mainly to reward young people who have started great initiatives in the municipality.