The Washington County Fair tractor pulls Monday and Tuesday were contested between a wide variety of makes and models.
Eugene Westergaard of Herman drove a rusted Massey-Harris 44 tractor during Monday's C&C Complete and VSE Antique Tractor & Pickup Pull. He purchased it just a few years ago for $400.
“I like a low-budget job,” Westergaard said. “I had it running in about 15 minutes.”
A new battery, a different gas tank and a little work was all it took.
“This is the only time I use it,” he said. “Just to come and pull. Enjoy the evening even though it is hotter than hell.”
Matt Rorie of Blair pulled with a green tractor on the same warm night — a John Deere Model A. He bought it out in western Nebraska, though the specific town no longer comes to mind.
“That was quite a road trip,” Rorie said.
He enjoyed the fact that he was one of just a few driving an antique John Deere on Monday.
“It's kind of unique, I guess,” the Blair man noted.
Matt White, meanwhile, pulled the sled at the Washington County Fairgrounds with his Allis-Chambers WD. It's a family tractor handed down from his wife's grandfather, Bill Reynolds.
White said it's a machine good for mowing hay and, obviously, moving weight.
“I like this pull,” he explained. “It's fun being in the arena. A lot of contestants.”
Brandt Jensen of Blair drove an orange tractor on Monday, too — an Allis-Chambers D17. It once belonged to a grandparent as well. The 1963 model was purchased new.
On Tuesday during the Golden Harvest Tractor Pull, though, less of the tractors making pulls were family heirlooms. The Nebraska Bush Pullers brought out more super machines to move weight and pump black smoke into the air above Arlington's fairgrounds.
Drake Wallman of Hickman competed in the Super Farm division, pulling with a red tractor. He said it was, technically, a International Harvester 1066.
“I think it's like a '71, but that means nothing, though,” Wallman said.
That's because the machine was produced piece-by-piece in Missouri. It was built by someone else, but the Hickman man put in some time.
“I did go down there and work on it a little bit, too,” he said.
Wallman's had some of the tractor's parts for more than two decades, but it's, ultimately, a whole different kind of make and model unlike the others at the Washington County Fair.
WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR TRACTOR PULL PARTICIPANTS
Local tractor owners and drivers (Non-Nebraska Bush Pullers)
Arlington: Braxton Soll, Carter Olson, Jeff Herrick, Hannah Hamilton, Tyler Villwok, Gradi Wilkins, Scott Swift, Brett Wilkins, Christian Vogt, Owen Ladehoff, Kobe Wilkins, Tom Vogt, Nate Wilkins, Jake Fleiner, Oliver Ladehoff, Caitlin Ladehoff, Kyle Quinn, Cory Ladehoff, Lillian Villwok, Brittney Petersen, David Petersen, Chandra Petersen, Ed Miller, Tyler Larsen, Marty Gieselman, Lee Petersen, Austin Kruse and Max Greunke.
Blair: Matt White, David Ruwe, Matt Rorie, Lilly Stonehocker, Dillon Otte, Brandt Jensen, Treyton Jones, Jay Jensen, Kyle Christensen, Nate Hogberg, Dillon Dishong, John Henton, Andy Ruwe, Ryan Willmott, Jason Willmott, Alex Willmott, Scott Jensen, Weston Lupardus, JJ Schueth and Luke Frost.
Herman: Eugene Westergaard, Russ Quinn and Mason Stoddard.
Kennard: Dalton Nielsen.
Fontanelle: Jason Oerman.
Spiker: Robert Stoddard.
Source: Washington County Fair run sheets
