Agricultural
3 April, 2024
Tractors pull a crowd
Another successful year was had by the Gilgandra Tractor and Machinery Club at their annual Easter Tractor Pull.
Another successful year was had by the Gilgandra Tractor and Machinery Club at their annual Easter Tractor Pull. The best restored honour was awarded to Graham Williams’ John Deere 830, and most original award went to Rick Attenborough’s Clark Airborne Dozer. The tractor pull is a highlight on the club’s calendar and has been running since they were formed in the early 2000s.
This year’s event was “one of the biggest we’ve had yet,” according to Gilgandra Tractor and Machinery Club - president Ally Prout. Diverse local markets, a Lion’s Club barbecue lunch, and a host of attractions such as a petting zoo and food trucks all complemented the day. Vintage vehicles were on display as well as antique engines provided by the Wellington Antique Engine Society.
The event attracted a large crowd to Gilgandra. “We had as many as 450 adults through the gates,” Mr. Prout said. Many children attended the event too, although their numbers cannot be counted. “This year’s tractor pull was a good show all round. [We had] a lot of people walking out those gates with a smile talking about how much they enjoyed themselves. [It was] a really good day,” he said.
People from as far as Coonamble, Parkes, and Cobar all came out for the event, bringing a lot of foot traffic and exposure to the Gilgandra region. Between competitive tractor pulls, the children’s event section was held. This year’s tug-o’-war was best of five and after a close competition went to the tractor by two points. Following the tug-o’-war was a mini tractor pull.
Some technical issues were had with the children’s tractor, increasing the difficulty for this year’s little challengers. Despite the odds stacked against them, contenders were able to pull the full weight of four bricks. A chaff cutting demonstration and history lesson in threshing machines came after, accompanied by a threshing machine over 100-years-old.
Eight tractors competed in the open section of the tractor pull event, and many more were in attendance. None managed a ‘full pull’ this year, but competitors were motivated to increase the payload for their second attempt. The club is reviewing results from the competitive pulls and will have come to a decision on Thursday. Mr. Prout told The Gilgandra Weekly that “[We] look forward to running next year’s tractor pull.”
