NORFOLK – The Chuck M. Pohlman Agriculture Complex at Northeast Community College in Norfolk will be the site of the 9th Annual Indoor Tractor Pull on Saturday, March 8. Several of the best pullers from several states are expected to be in attendance.
This year’s event is sponsored by the Northeast Community College Diversified Ag Club and alumni, with special assistance from North Central Railroad, Kelly Ryan Farm Equipment, K. Porter Construction, and US92 Radio in Norfolk. The event begins at 10 a.m. at the Northeast Chuck M. Pohlman Agriculture Complex at the intersection of Highway 35 and East Benjamin Avenue in Norfolk. The Ag Complex is located about one mile east of the main campus on Benjamin Avenue.
According to Bernie Thyen, Northeast instructor and Diversified Ag Club advisor, there will again be at least 180-200 pulls during this one-day event. A second pulling track for pullers is back this year.
Classes for the event include Division I-V from 3,500-8,500 pounds; stock farm tractors (no turbos) between 6,500 and 9,500 pounds; 3,000 RPM tractors weighing between 5,500-7,500 pounds, and V-8 classes, and, again this year, the 4,750- and 5,750-pound top dog shoot-out.
“Because ours is the first pull of the season, our Indoor Tractor Pull grows more popular every year,” Thyen said. “The spectators in the bleachers really enjoy watching these smaller, out-of-the-field, older tractors compete. After planting season, these tractors will be loaded up and hit the road for regional pulls throughout the summer,” he said.
A Northeast Nebraska Tractor Pullers Association-sanctioned event, all pullers association rules will apply. Absolutely no alcohol will be allowed on the ground. The sled will be “The Hot Foot” sled and there will be a scale on site.
Over 100 pullers from Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Iowa, and Kansas are expected. Entries will also be accepted on the day of the pull. The top winners in each class will be awarded a payback of the entry fees from that class.
The Northeast Community College Indoor Tractor Pull is a fundraiser to assist about 25 Northeast students with their travel expenses to the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Student Judging Conference at Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO, April 10-12. Contest areas include livestock, soils, crops, and agribusiness. Northeast students traditionally bring home many awards from this national competition.
“Our students and alumni work very hard on this tractor pull,” Thyen said. “The work is paying off as the number of pullers increases every year. Each of our Northeast students has to raise many hundreds of dollars to cover expenses to go to NACTA so they do all the work with great assistance from our alumni. They not only organize and run the event, but they also run the concession stand that day.”
Admission is free but there will be a free will offering.
For more information about the 9th Annual Diversified Ag Club Alumni Indoor Tractor Pull, contact Billie Ruwe at (402) 533-3380, Clint Jedlicka at (402) 615-1744, or the Northeast ag department at (402) 844-7184.