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W e e k l y   F e a t u r e   P a g e

The contents of the “Weekly Feature” page are provided to you for your entertainment, amusement, and perhaps information. Here you may find articles of interest, pictures, historical information on the Club, or whatever shuffles to the top of the pile on our desk. The only defined characteristic of this space is that we will make every effort to change/replace it around the middle of each week. Thank you for visiting, and please stop by again. Click on any photo to see it larger in a separate window.

Hooking Up !

As the greening of the grass and the warming of the soil foretell the coming of Spring, the thoughts of a young man’s fancy turn naturally to……..Tractor Pulling ! Those familiar with the 33 year history of the Mid Mich. Old Gas Tractor Association in Oakley MI. are well aware that tractor pulling has always been a mainstay in our philosophy and our schedule of events. Indeed, we credit the inclusion of pulling competition in our show with being one of the major factors in our continued growth and expansion as a club. It seems the dynamic at work here is the fact that pulling tends to be a younger man’s game, and in a hobby where fewer and fewer folks may have a history with threshing machines and steam engines, many have some connection with the typical farm tractors of the 40’s and 50’s that make up the majority of the field in antique tractor pulling circuits. Couple that with the normal competitive nature of people, the desire to test or show off their favorite old tractor, and you have a formula for growth and success.

The proof of that theory is evident in the constant growth of our membership roster, which now numbers over 350 member families. Many of the new member applicants tend to be young families who see our organization as a great opportunity to pursue their hobby in a wholesome, family environment and in the company of like minded folks who appreciate and enjoy the facilities that the older members worked so long and hard to create. As they come aboard and get a good look at the many areas of interest that make up our club, many find themselves diversifying into other pursuits as well. It’s a big tent, there’s room for all. Every high school coach knows his future is tied to the local T-Ball program, and that’s about the same plan at work in our group. The starting point for us is the Pedal Tractor pull, with competitors ranging from about 4 to 8 years of age. Popular with everyone from grandparents to the kids themselves, this event during our annual show has been the source of so many great moments to those involved.

Just like their shoes, all too soon they outgrow the pedal tractor and start pestering Dad to fix up the old lawn mower so they can enter the Garden Tractor pull at the next tractor show. They learn to love the noise, the dirt, and the trophies and they start learn about track conditions and weight distribution.

The next stage is the Junior Pull, which is their first venture into the “real tractor” competition, and is restricted to the children of club members only. By this stage most of the youngsters have been rehearsing their act all summer by participating in our many events that run from April to about October. By then, most of them are “hooked”, both on pulling and on our club in general. They have become part of the MMOGTA family.

To further accommodate the different interests, ideas, and equipment available to our members and participants, we have developed several different formats to allow the maximum number of people to have their moment in the sun. Most popular by the numbers is the Transfer-Sled competition, that schedules monthly pulls from April through September, including the huge outing on the Sunday of our annual show. That is further broken down into levels that include “antique”, “antique plus”, “open”, and “V-8” classes. There is a seasonal points competition that allows all to vie for end of the year awards if they choose.

The other basic format is the “Dead Boat” competition, which usually includes a pull in June and September, as well as the huge outing on the Saturday of our August Show. These are normally done using the percentage system, where each contestant is in his own class based on the weight of the individual tractor. The good ones may get to pull through 7 or 8 times at ascending weights before they go out. Winners on our clay tracks typically finish between 200 and 250 %.

During the August show, dead boat pulling is further broken down into the following categories: Junior Pull (members only), Powder Puff (female members only), Lightweight, Heavyweight, and Steel Wheel. As if this wasn’t enough, to accommodate all interests, in September we have a cement surface pull on our own Track I at the Showgrounds. This Autumn classic is one of the few available in the area to those who like the big tires, burning rubber, and the smell of the smoke.

As you can see, Antique Tractor Pulling is a big part of what we do at MMOGTA, and it has allowed us to entertain members and visitors alike for the past 33 years. It has also contributed to our reputation for being one of the busiest and most active shows anywhere, while affording us the opportunity to continually infuse our membership with energetic new young faces and personalities. We thank them all for being part of our family.

Scroll down for some representative photos of our pulling history. Click on a photo to see it larger.

 

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