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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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