Pulling ahead

GIRARD — Local youngsters pushed the pedal to the metal Friday for the annual Crawford County Fair pedal tractor pull.

The event is sponsored by the Crawford County Farm Bureau, and is open to children aged 5 to 10.

“Everybody gets a participation medal and a coupon for free ice cream at the 4-H cream stand,” said Mary Ann Shull. “We also have trophies for the first, second and third place winners in each age group.”

She said that the number of participants was down a little this year.

“Usually we have 40 to 50-something kids taking part,” Shull said. “But there are a lot of other activities for them to do.”

Youngsters have to pedal a small modified tractor. As the wheels spin they drive a gear attached to a bicycle chain that pulls a box loaded with bricks from the rear of the trailer to the front.

Charlie McColm, Columbus, who invented the device, said that he’ll start out with about three bricks in the box for the 5-year-olds, then add more for  the older youngsters.

He said that years ago in the kiddie tractor pull youngsters pulled a sled down a track lined with hay bales.

“Guys would stand along there and step on the sled as it went by,” McColm said. “I came up with the idea of having kids add bricks to the sled as the tractor went by. Then I invented this way, with the box, and it made it a lot easier.”

Distances pulled are measured and youngsters pulling the longest distances get the trophies.

“If there’s a tie, we add more bricks to pull out the tie,” McColm said.

Some youngsters are veteran pullers, others were participating for the first time.

Cale Bridwell, 10, and little sister Makena Bridwell, 6, both placed second in their age categories.

“I got second last year, too,” Cale said.

His father, Dennis Bridwell, said that Cale had also won first place a few times over the years.

“This was Makena’s first time,” Bridwell added. “She wasn’t sure she wanted to do it, but I signed her up anyway.”

He asked his daughter if she enjoyed the contest, and she nodded, hugging her trophy.

Hanna Bailey, 6, Girard, couldn’t quite pedal her way to a trophy, but still had a good time. Her father, Judd Bailey, said she didn’t do anything special to prepare for the contest.

“She just rode her bike,” he said.

Children having fun is the most important thing, at least to McColm.

“Kids enjoy it a lot, and the expression on their face, their smile, is worth a lot,” he said.

Winners, listed by age group, were: 5-year-olds, Gunnor McDowell, first, Gracie Murphy, second, and Kaiden Dean, third; 6-year-olds, Anthony Pike, first, Makena Bridwell, second, and Javen Murphy, third; 7-year-olds, Cody Burns, first, Riley Fox, second, and Deanna Pike, third; 8-year-olds, Alex White, first, Jarett Murphy, second, and Dawson Shull, third; 9-year-olds, Bre Flaharty, first, Zachary Davis, second, and Dayne Augustin, third; and 10-year-olds, Heston Kavanagh, first, Cale Bridwell, second, and Brady Peel, third.