Fair's celebrity tractor pull: put the pedal to the metal and go for it

Aug. 2—SUMMIT STATION — When you come right down to it, one of the great tests in life is trying to pull a 30,000-pound sled 350 feet in less than 30 seconds at the wheel of a 70-horsepower tractor.

At least that's the way it seemed at Wednesday night's celebrity tractor pull at the Schuylkill County Fair.

The Schuylkill County commissioners, a couple state legislators, some veterans and a bevy of fair queens and princesses hopped aboard a John Deere 830 diesel tractor and gave it the gun in an effort to claim bragging rights until next year's fair.

The title went to Kasey Owen, host of "Kasey Owen in the Afternoon" on T-102 radio, who pulled the sled 259.29 feet.

The fair marked its 40th anniversary at Summit Station by concocting an ice cream sundae big enough for 300 people in the fair's agricultural museum.

Paul Kennedy, president, said the ice cream was donated by Way-Har Farms, of Berks County.

"We gave it away free," he said, "and it all went."

The fair's third day, Veterans Day, was observed by an honor guard of American Legion members and Vietnam Veterans Post 29 of Schuylkill Haven presenting the colors in a ceremony on the main stage.

Participating in a tractor pull might seem easy, but there's a lot of strategy involved.

State Rep. Jamie Barton, R-124, East Brunswick Twp., started slow, gave it gas and went hard as long as he could.

"It's kind of like public service," he said. "You go as long as you can, as hard as you can."

State Rep. Tim Twardzik, R-123, Butler Twp., looked for the best ground and just kept going.

"It's like trying to get legislation through the General Assembly," he said. "You never give up."

Barron L. "Boots" Hetherington is no stranger to tractors.

He was only 8 years old when he first drove his grandfather's 1938 International Harvester Farmall tractor on the family's Union Twp. farm. That was 62 years ago.

"Yes, I have a lot of experience," Hetherington said, fending off allegations that he was a ringer. "But I never win."

Under the watchful eye of a fair official, 8-year-old Laila Shutt took her first turn behind the wheel. She's the reigning 2023 Little Miss Schuylkill County Fair.

Kamryn Moran, 16, the reigning 2023 Schuylkill County Fair Queen, is used to riding her horse on the family's Wayne Twp. farm. But it was her first time commanding 70 horses, as it were.

"I really tried to get it to go a little farther," said Moran, a junior at Blue Mountain High School.

Also taking a turn at the wheel were county commissioners Gary J. Hess and George F. Halcovage Jr. District Attorney Michael A. O'Pake said he "put the pedal to the metal" but came up a little bit short.

Sharon Yakenchick, county controller, acknowledged that she's operated a backhoe on her property.

"You feel the power of the tractor," she said. "I tried to coax a few more inches out of it."

In the final analysis, Yakenchick said, it wasn't about winning.

"Everybody came out, and it was a great day," she said. "It was a lot of nice fun."

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007