Tractor pulls reel in crowd as Bullskin Township fair comes to a close
Brent Means' tractor lifts off its front end, as he tries to use it to pull 5,500 pounds, in the Dead Weight Tractor Pull, at the Bullskin Township Fair on Saturday.
Jacob Barnhardt, 7, is coached along by his father, Dean Barnhardt, in the 850 Kids garden tractor pull at the Bullskin Township Fair on Saturday.
Ken Husak's tractor lifts off its front end as he tries to use it to pull 5,500 pounds in the Dead Weight Tractor Pull at the Bullskin Township Fair on Saturday.
Matthew Lovre, 14, of Delmont, goes 120' 3" in the Garden Tractor Pull at the Bullskin Township Fair on Saturday.
Lyn Hambarski, 11, of Connellsville walks her goat Sam in the Pet Parade at the Bullskin Townshp Fair on Saturday.
Elizabeth, 4, and Conner Miller, 4, of Bullskin are pulled in a wagon, by their mother, along with their 10-week-old Blue Heeler puppy, Chewy, in the Pet Parade on Saturday at the Bullskin Township Fair.
Arley Wilson, 6, of Bullskin walks her pony, Chrissy, in the Pet Parade at the Bullskin Township Fair on Saturday. Arley went on to win first place in the exotic animal category.
Olivia Shultz, 3, of Bullskin hugs her teacup Yorkshire Terrier, Gigi, as they await the results of the small dog class in the Pet Parade at the Bullskin Township Fair on Saturday.
BULLSKIN TWP. — Small, but mighty, garden tractors pulled heavy sleds down a dirt path Saturday in the outdoor arena as part of the remaining activities that wrapped up the 82nd annual Bullskin Township Community Fair.
The event was turned over this year to the Bullskin Garden Tractor Pullers headed by Dave Richter, who participated for the last 11 years.
Richter said the group asked to organize the event since they are natives of Bullskin Township.
“This is our fair and all the proceeds (from the garden tractor pull) go back to them,” said Richter.
For Richter and his wife, Lori, garden tractor pulls have become a family affair with their two sons, Jarred, 16, and Ryan, 20, competing not only in Bullskin, but also at the winter nationals held in Columbus, Ohio.
Richter customized Jarred’s tractor, a yellow Scooby Doo “Mystery Machine,” after a dragster to accommodate his special needs while he steers and his father controls the gas and brakes that are located behind a framed cockpit he sits in.
Richter said this is the seventh year Jarred has pulled in exhibition events with the family also members of the Garden Tractor Pullers Association.
After watching his friends over the last few years, Richard Pritts, 17, son of Keith and Sue Pritts of Dawson, decided to enter a Craftsman 20-horsepower model.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Pritts, whose parents own a 140-acre farm.
In the tractor dead weight pull, organizer Jim Fabian said he had about 80 entries that pulled five weight classes as high as 10,000 pounds.
“We have people from Somerset, Indiana and Westmoreland counties,” said Fabian.
Despite several days of rain throughout the week, Denny Eicher, fair secretary, said attendance was comparable to previous years.
According to Eicher, Wednesday’s rodeo drew the largest crowd that came close to filling the stands to capacity.
Eicher’s wife, Connie Eicher, who helped with the entries, said this was the first year exhibits remained on display at the request of fair goers.
Matt and Beth Lukowsky of Connellsville Township who come to the fair every year brought their six-month-old daughter Natalia to see some of the exhibits entered by their relatives.
Pets of all sorts even made their way to the fair from dogs to rabbits, turtles and hermit crabs.
With football season underway, Tucker Blum, 6, son of Carrie Blum of Vanderbilt, brought his two French Mastiffs.
Dozer was dressed in a Ben Roethlisberger jersey.
Sookie was dressed in a Tom Brady jersey of the New England Patriots.