Poppy Remains On Local Man's Sweater For Six Consecutive Minutes

Dugald, Manitoba

Leslie Fletcher of Dugald congratulates her father Harold Sampson
following his accomplishment.

When Harold Sampson woke up on Tuesday morning, he was shaking with a mixture of excitement and fatigue after getting only an hours sleep the night before. The 89 year old had envisioned this day for an entire year.

For the last 15 years, Sampson, a native of Dugald, just east of Winnipeg, has been attempting to break the Guinness World Record for consecutive minutes that a Remembrance Day poppy stays pinned on a man, woman, or child.

The scene at the local legion hall was as it had been for 15 years, with his wife of 62 years, Doreen, and a host of family and friends gathered to hopefully witness history, as well as to enjoy a pint of Molson Canadian. And as it has been every year, a representative from Guinness was present so that the organization could authenticate the record should it be broken.

The proceedings began with a friend and local WWII veteran Arnie Bellamy pinning a poppy on Sampson's sweater. "I went through hell and back for my country, and it's very rewarding to see friends like Harry being willing to do the same for me."

The red poppy-shaped pin with the black centre was placed on Sampson at 11:00am, and all was going well until 11:05am, when said poppy began to come loose from his sweater. At this point, Sampson remained stoic and held his head high, refusing to give in. When the clock above the billiard table hit 11:06am, history had been made. Harold Sampson now holds the Guinness World Record for consecutive minutes that a Remembrance Day poppy stays pinned on a human being.

The previous record of 5 minutes, 59 seconds was set in 1992 by Shirley Knelsen of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.

From Our Winnipeg Bureau