The BMR Team
Almost everyone looks forward to the Great Geauga County Fair each year. There are a myriad of events with something to please and interest everyone. This year all four Rotary clubs in Geauga; Burton-Middlefield, Chagrin Valley, Chardon and Geauga West (Chesterland) had a booth in the Merchants Hall #2 and displayed Rotary info along with plans for participation in the “America250” program to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our great country.
Record crowds of fair goers produced lots of traffic and interest. One of the smaller events, but no less exciting, is the Kiddie Tractor Pull sponsored by the Buckeye State Pedal Pullers Assoc. (BSPPA) out of Bucyrus, OH. This is a state and nationally sanctioned event held around the country.
A variety of pedal tractors that are size specific for different age groups pull a small “sled” that is geared to move weight from back to front thereby increasing the effort required to pull it as the kids pedal down the course. It’s a scaled down version of the big monster tractors that pull at the grandstand course. Ages run from 4 to 11 years old with a separate category for each age.
Rotary has financially supported, and also supplied workers for this event for the last three years. Rotary does this as part of our youth programs support that includes many scholarships, seminars, speech contests and more that help support youth in increasing their knowledge and life experiences.
The new and much larger Arena building was the location for the pull this year and provided a much better venue for pull participants and especially better grand stands for the parents and spectators. Parents enjoy the event as much as the kids and the noise and cheering increase exponentially as the kids peddle their tractors down the course. Parent “coaches” are thrilled at what their little peddlers can accomplish.
The popularity of the event increases yearly with 66 participants showing their stuff this year. Another event put on by BSPPA last week at another county fair drew 89 participants. The top three in each age group are invited to participate in next year’s state event held in August and the top three winners at that event go to the national contest held in South Dakota in September.
This is truly a fun and competitive event for young kids and another great example of many of why we look forward to the Great Geauga County Fair each year.
PDG Bob Johnson
Secretary, Rotary Club of Burton-Middlefield