“It’s been growing,” Champaign County Fair Administrator Frank Howell said. “A lot of people look forward to the event.”
The Stimmel family started the tractor pull and now sponsors the event.
“We come out and help as much as we can,” Bill Stimmel said. “We supply the dollar bills each participant gets.”
The Champaign County Fair Board also donates blue participation ribbons and local dealers in Champaign County like Farmers Equipment in Urbana provide the bigger prizes.
Everything from miniature tractors to toy hand saws are awarded at the end of each round, and children can choose what they want.
“I really like my ribbon,” 3-year-old Ayla Lensman said. “I did a good job peddling.”
The children are divided by their weight classes. To compete, they must weight less than 85 pounds to ensure they won’t break the tractor.
The Central Ohio Young and Adult Farmers organization partnered with the Champaign County Fair Board and brought the peddle tractors and other equipment.
“It’s rewarding watching the kids,” member Larry Schilling said. “Some kids give it 110 percent.”
For mother Julie Coppess, the kiddie tractor pull is a nice break from the sheep barns.
“This is our first time at the fair,” Coppess said. “The kids wanted to come out to this event.”
Brothers Brennen and Colin Wild stumbled upon the grandstand and decided to compete.
The 6-year-old boys didn’t know what to expect in the competition and took the crowd by surprise. Colin Wild won first place in his class, pedaling the tractor over the finish line with ease.
In the next class, second place winner Clayton Schafer was no stranger to the game.
His father, Larry Schafer, said that it was his third time competing.
“It’s all just fun,” Howell said.
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