The Versailles Republican Sports
July 3, 2008

Tractor pulls held at F.A.R.M. Club show

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

For the second consecutive year, the Dearborn - Ripley F.A.R.M. Club's Antique Tractor & Engine Show was held at the Ripley County Fairgrounds in Osgood. The dates of this year's show were Friday - Sunday, June 27-29.
With the Ripley County Fairgrounds established as the new home for the event just one year ago, following great success, the plan is for it to continue in that location for years to come.
Scheduled for exhibition annually during the last full weekend of June each year, one can mark their calendars in advance if interested in this type of activity.
This year's show featured Oliver, Hart-Parr & Cletrac Fairbanks Morse Engines & Wheel Horse Garden Tractors.
Among many midway activities during the event were demonstrations which included operating steam engines, threshing machine operation, stationary baling action, corn shredding, sawmill & planer operations, ensilage chopping, blacksmithing, tractor games, gas engine operation and other working equipment.
Other activities included kids pedal tractor pulls and games, bluegrass & country music, toy show, craft show, flea market, swap meet, tradin' post, homemaker demonstrations, a quilt show and Sunday morning worship service.
Grandstand events scheduled were a super farm tractor pull on Friday evening, a garden tractor pull on Saturday morning and an antique tractor pull on Saturday evening. Rainy weather derailed the garden tractor pull and hindered the antique tractor pull on Saturday evening. However, the antique tractor pull did get off for the amusement of those in attendance following the rain clearing out.
Kevin Menchhofer headed up the tractor pull operations in conjunction with the F.A.R.M. Club activities in front of the grandstands. Many local as well as traveling pullers entered the events.
Those who ventured back to the festivities, following the thunderstorms of the afternoon, found a grand show presented as many entries competed for the awards in the different weight and speed classes during the antique tractor pull held on Saturday evening.
Next year's 2009 Dearborn-Ripley F.A.R.M. Club's Show will include the highlighted featuring of the Co-op/Cockshutt farm tractor models.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO FULLPULLSLEDRENTAL.COM owner operator, Kevin Menchhofer records the distance the sled has traveled during a pull and reports it to the announcer for all to hear. The Dearborn/Ripley County F.A.R.M. Club's Antique Tractor & Engine Show antique tractor pull was held in spite of the late afternoon blast of showers on Saturday evening, June 28, at the Ripley County Fairgrounds in Osgood.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Ridin' high, girls too just wanna' have some tractor pullin' fun, as evidenced by the lady in blue on the "Do It In The Dirt" A John Deere during the antique tractor pull sponsored by the F.A.R.M. Club pull on Saturday evening, June 28.