Implements of fun

Tractor pullers compete for

'bragging rights'

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- They line up. They weigh in. They rev their engines a few times and a small puff of black or dark brown smoke coughs out of the exhaust pipe. They rumble over to the skid, where fair workers hook them up with heavy chains, and then they wait for the green flag.

When the green flag drops, their drivers gun their engines, more smoke comes billowing out of the exhaust pipe, the rear wheels spin and kick up thick clouds of dust into the breeze and its only a matter of second before they finally being to spin out, just a few hundred feet from where they started.

The red flag waves when the tractor begins spinning its wheels and rears up into the air like the horse the good guy rides off into the sunset in an old Western movie. The workers unhitch the tractor. The tractor then exits the field and turns back around to the marshalling area, where it will graze and wait with members of its own breed or another one until its rider decides to try for another pull.

Meanwhile, back on the track, another tractor is straining to pull the skid a little farther in hopes of gaining a few extra inches -- maybe even a few extra feet -- in hopes of taking home a cash prize and one of the many trophies with a golden tractor atop a victory wreath, below which is an inscription "2001 Brown County Fair Antique Tractor Pull".

It might sound a little like the Daytona 500 or some other elite, high-powered test of mechanical strength and speed. It's not, though. It's only the antique tractor pull at the Brown County Fair.

The contestants make for an eye-catching sea of color while in line for a pull. There is a neat succession of Minneapolis-Molines dressed in school bus orange, McCormick-Deering Farmalls in their trademark fire engine red, a pair of dark orange Cases, a few orange-red Allis-Chalmers, Olivers with yellow grilles, green bodies and red wheels, and, of course, several vintage John Deeres decked out in their trademark green-and-yellow paint scheme. The ages of the tractors in the tractor pull range from a vintage 1934 Allis-Chalmers WC to a brand-new 2001 Case-International Harvester. Some of them are as shiny as they day they were new. Others seem like they took time off from the shady groves of a farm to come to town and compete. They rattle, rumble, spew, belch and chug away in near perfect unison while awaiting their turn. Regardless of the shape or size, though, one thing remains constant -- the guys who compete at things like this love what they do.

"It's a labor of love," says Paul Pfenning of Janesville as he leans against his 1958 International 460 Utility. "There is a certain amount of satisfaction in taking a piece of junk, cleaning up and having it pull its weight."

Likewise, Mike Schons of Faribault says a tractor pull is a good change of pace from an everyday job.

"I used to be a farmer," he recalled, resting on the front wheel of his 1958 International 460. "This is a chance to get back. This is a good, honest hobby."

When asked what he liked most about tractor pulling, Schons said, "The competition of sport, the cameraderie."

Pfenning put it differently.

"Bragging rights," he admitted. "Many of these guys grew up with the tractor their driving, so it has a little nostalgia to it."

This year's antique tractor pull has a total of 15 classes for tractors, which are classified by weight. The classes range from 3,500 pounds to 9,000 pounds for the antique tractors. In addition, there are four other classes for "from-the-field" tractors that allows modern-day tractors to compete alongside the more classic models. In order to qualify for the antique category, a tractor has to be a 1959 model or older and have its original tires, engine and equipment. Within the framework of antique tractors are two sub-categories. One is for tractors that are completely unchanged; those in the hobby called them "stock" tractors. The other one is an open category for tractors that have had modifications made, mainly to their engines. There is no sub-category for the modern-day tractors.

With every new class, the tractors get progressively larger and louder. At the pull's beginning at noon, the field was flooded with the antique John Deeres, Allis-Chalmers and Farmalls. At the end of the day, it was dominated by the giants now seen in farm fields everywhere. For the most part, the spectators in the stands on that warm, breezy afternoon remain quiet. However, when a tractor comes along that really pulls it weight, which, in this case, has to go beyond 280 feet, they applaud with whistles and hand clapping.

"Minnesota basically is an agricultural state," Pfenning said. "Tractors are part of that heritage."

The results of the Brown County Fair 2001 Antique Tractor Pull are are follows:

*3,500 Lbs. Stock

First place -- Andrew Fischer, Madison Lake, 1934 Allis-Chalmers WC, 241 feet; second place -- Bob Sprenger, Comfrey, 1939 International Harvester H, 238.2 feet; Third place -- Brad Sprenger, Comfrey, 1953 Oliver H, 236.8 feet.

*3,500 Lbs. Open

First place -- Steve Fischer, Sleepy Eye, 1950 Allis-Chalmers WD, 262.3 feet; second place -- Marlin Portner, New Ulm, 1940 McCormack-Deering Farmall H, 231.6.

*4,500 Lbs. Stock

First place -- Curt Willie, Truman, Oliver 77, 317.3 feet; second place -- Loren Hillmer, Sleepy Eye, 1943 John Deere, 310.2 feet; third place -- Brad Sprenger, Comfrey, Oliver 77, 303.3 feet.

*4,500 Lbs. Open

Evie Olson, Hutchinson, 1950 Cockshutt 40, 332.10 feet; second place -- Jim Balfe, Kilkenny, 1950 Oliver 88, 300.5 feet; Marlin Portner, New Ulm, 1944 McCormack-Deering Farmall M, 292.8 feet.

*5,500 Lbs. Stock

Steve Sellner, Sleepy Eye, 1951 International Harvester M, 225.5 feet; second place -- Joe Blackstad, St. James, 1952 Massey-Harris 44, 222.9 feet; third place -- Jason Halverson, New Ulm, 1950 International Harvester MD, 222.5 feet.

*5,500 Lbs. Open

Mike Schons, Faribault, 1958 International Harvester 460, 296.2 feet; second place -- Jim Balfe, Kilkenny, 1950 Oliver 88, 280.6 feet; Joe Hindersheit, New Prague, 1958 Oliver 880D, 242.10 feet.

*6,500 Lbs. Stock

First place -- Jason Lepp, Butterfield, 1952 International Harvester Super N, 254.9 feet; second place -- Max Simmons, Alpha, 1950 Oliver 88, 252.7 feet; third place -- Blaine Braaten, Butterfield, 1956 McCormack-Deering Farmall Super NMA, 248.93 feet.

*6,500 Lbs. Open

Dick Olson, Hutchinson, 1958 Cockshutt 570, 333 feet; second place -- Mike Schons, Faribault, 1958 International Harvester 460, 270.9 feet; third place -- Melvin Hinderscheit, New Prague, 1958 Oliver 880D, 235.8 miles.

*7,500 Lbs. Stock

First place -- Dan Peterson, Springfield, 1948 John Deere Model G, 252.2 feet; second place -- Troy Johnson, Young America, Minneapolis-Moline GTB, 243.3 feet; third place -- Dan Domeier, New Ulm, 1949 Minneapolis-Moline U, 240.9 feet.

*7,500 Lbs. Open

First place -- Dick Olson, Hutchinson, 1958 Cockshutt 570, 335.7 feet; Paul Hanson, Lake Crystal, 1957 Oliver S99, 235.4 feet.

*8,500 Lbs. Stock

Keith Hoffman, Sleepy Eye, 1952 John Deere Model R, 243.0 feet; second place -- Lenny Neid, Sleepy Eye, John Deere 80, 234.8 feet; third place -- Dave Haala, Sleepy Eye, 1949 John Deere Model R, 229.4 feet.

*12,500 Lbs.

Steve FIscher, Sleepy Eye, 1963 Allis-Chalmers 7030, 234.4 feet; second place -- Leon Portner, New Ulm, 1980 International-Harvester 1086 228.6 feet; third place -- Jason Lepp, Butterfield, International Harvester, 1206, 225.6 feet.

*16,500 Lbs.

First place -- Scott Hesse, Godahl, 1975 Allis-Chalmers 7040, 234.3 feet; second place -- Jason Lepp, Butterfield, International Harvester 1206, 234.1 feet; third feet -- Sam Schultz, Sleepy Eye, 1979 International Harvester 1486, 233.4 feet.

*19,500 Lbs.

Devron Havemeier, Nicollet, 1981 John Deere 4440, 215.1 feet; second place -- Keith Hoffman, Sleepy Eye, 1998 John Deere 8100, 210.9 feet; Pinky Mensan, St. James, 1980 White 2-180, 204.4 feet.

*24,500 Lbs.

Pat Klinkner, New Ulm, 2001 Case-International Harvester MX 240, 315 feet; Mike Portner, New Ulm, John Deere 8430, 243.11 feet; third place -- Pinky Mensan, White 2-180, 224.8 feet.