During our 1965 performances at the Threshermen's Reunion, we were so wrapped up in the parades of old steam engines, the rodeo action, threshing contests, and enthusiastic crowds that we paid little attention to a small camera crew who filmed our show one afternoon. Much later we learned that they were from the National Film Board of Canada and were gathering footage for Montreal's Expo '67. Two years later we had the thrill of seeing this footage after standing in line for hours at the Labyrinth Pavilion. We then learned that our images appeared on the pavilion's giant split screen, 30 times a day for the whole year.

Sue-On in Labyrinth Queue

---

COUNTRY GENTLEMEN WITH RUSS GURR
1966: AUSTIN THRESHERMEN'S REUNION
& DAUPHIN EXHIBITION
 

---

A LADY JOINS THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN

The successes at the Threshermen's Reunion and at Expo led to an exclusive contract with Federal Grain Ltd. Starting in the summer of '66 they supplied us with a tour bus and portable stage and sponsored us on promotional tours every summer to major exhibitions and rodeos across Western Canada. By 1967 Sue-On had joined the group and I felt we had to come up with a name change for the band. I dug through my collection of Zane Grey novels and came up with the name: The Western Union.

---

It All Started At Austin Threshermen Meet

John Skinner (North Brandon) ~ Russ Gurr (Brandon) ~ Sue-On & Bill Hillman (Strathclair) ~ Barry Forman (Rivers)
Russ Gurr and the Western Union group sign a contract for the NFB use of
the Gurr song, The Threshermen's Ball at Expo's Labyrinth.

RUSS GURR & WESTERN UNION  SOUVENIR PHOTO

Farmer-Entertainer Gurr and  Western Union Group Busy by Kaye Rowe ~ Sun Feature Writer Brandon Sun ~ 1967 Minus instruments, Russ and four of his five-man group assembled in a local legal office last week to sign contracts relative to National Film Board's use of their song, The Threshermen's Ball. Recently they roped and tied contracts with Federal Grain for personal appearances at fairs, rodeos and stampedes ranging from Provincial Exhibition at Brandon commencing July 3, and on to some dozen other points in Saskatchewan and the north country Swan River rodeo." The National Film Board action began back in July of '65 when Russ Gurr and the gang were filmed and taped as part of the whoopee at Austin's Threshermen's Reunion.  Labyrinth -- one of the "must-see" exhibits at Expo according to everyone on more than a cursory look around -- planned to use a segment of their Austin, Manitoba footage and the Gurr song, Threshermen's Ball. The group includes two high school teachers -- Barry Forman of Rivers on fiddle and Bill Hillman of Strathclair on lead guitar, Jake Kroeger of Rivers on rhythm guitar, and John Skinner, drummer of North Brandon. An added feature is a Chinese doll -- Sue-On Hillman -- Bill's wife, who does lively songs and dances. The company will perform on a modern-style open-air stage created a la Centennial Caravans using caravan truck that doubles as a parade float, and features a movable stage complete with sets and furnishings. They will play several shows a day as a free feature, and aid in calling the crowd into the grandstand.

Winnipeg Free Press ~ Monday, July 24, 1967