Published: July 27, 2009 03:35 pm      

Fund raiser supports new Cooke County Fair barn

Everyone seemed to be in high spirits on Friday evening at a Texas Truck & Tractor Pullers Association event sponsored by the Cooke County Fair Association.

The money was being raised to support the reconstruction of the CCFA's new building.

Prior to the competition, CCFA staff thanked all the attendees for their support while the tractor drivers waited for their turn to get out into the arena.

The tractor pull was held to help fund a new Cooke County show barn to replace the previous facility which was destroyed by a storm April 28, 2006.

In the past, the CCFA used their facility to host over 60 different events each year on a local, state, and national level for organizations such as the 4-H club and the Future Farmers of America (FFA). Now, the association is without a public arena and efforts are being made in many areas to compensate for the loss.

The association is now in the process of building a new complex for agricultural events, and funds are required by the association to reach their goal.

The Texas Truck and Tractor Pull Association (TTTPA) is also a non-profit organization that is hosting the CCFA's fundraising event.

President of the TTTPA, Pete Riola said that the TTTPA is an organization that makes efforts to aid other non-profits through their specialty events.

All of the proceeds from the tractor pull's ticket and concession sales will go to the fund for the new building.

Tractor pulling is a sport in which a tractor is hooked up to a device known as a weight transfer sled that increases the weight behind the tractor as it progresses down its path. The increase of weight creates a challenge for the tractor and the driver.

Drivers say that challenge is the essence of their sport.

There are cash prizes for the winners of the contests, but Doug Both who is assisting with the organization of the tractor pull said, "It's more about the love of the sport, rather than the money."

The event kicked-off at 4 p.m. with 13 antique tractors registered to pull, and the TTTPA portion of the pull involved a little more than 40 tractors plowing through the arena at 7 p.m.

This event was the first tractor pull in Cooke County since 1985, and President of the CCFA, Jeff Hellman said that it was the association's first ever tractor pull.

"We wanted to get in on the ground floor and make this an annual deal,” said CCFA board member Rudy Paclik.

Those who attended the tractor pull on Friday evening ranged from young children to adults.

Leroy Schmidlkofer of Myra brought his daughter, TaKara Schmidlkofer along with him to enjoy the show.

"We're local,” said Schmidlkofer, "It's something for them (children) to watch, and she is enjoying it."

Amelia Fuhrmann also sat in the stands at Lindsay's tractor pull arena and waited for her husband Paul Fuhrmann to pull his John Deere out into the ring. It was her first tractor pull, but Fuhrmann said she and her husband have been participating in these events for quite some time.

Furhrmann quoted country singer Barbara Mandrell when she fondly spoke of her husband and his extensive tractor pull experience when she said, "He was country, before it was cool."

The spectators in the stands doubled as donators to the CCFA with their admission costs, and Hellman said that he hoped the tractor pull would increase the funds for the building.

"It takes a lot of money", said Hellman, "With the economy like it is, people are being as generous as the possibly can."

The new facility is still under construction and has not yet been named, and Hellman said anyone looking to donate to the association's progress is more than welcome suggest a name of their choice.

Though the construction of the CCFA's new building is still in progress, fundraisers such as this tractor pull can help.

"We're piecing it together, bit by bit, so that we can start using the building,” said Hellman.

The tractor pull will continue on Saturday, May 25. The antique tractors will begin their pulls at 4 p.m. while the newer tractors will start their engines at 7 p.m.

Admission to the tractor pull is $5 dollars for the 12 and under crowd, and $10 for those over 12. The pulling will be held on North FM 1199 in Lindsay at the old tractor pull arena.

Cooke County Fair Association's Grant Coordinator, Cecilia Fuhrmann said that the association has raised over $125,000 for the new building, and they need to raise $157,000 for phase II of the building project. So far, all of the money has been collected through grants, donations, and fundraisers, such as this tractor pull, Fuhrman noted.



On the Web:

For more information on tractor pulling visit www.tttpa.com