Meade County Fair awarded Grand National Pull of the Year
By SANDRA STONE In 26 years of tractor pulls at the Meade County Fair, 2006 was the first time they ever sanctioned with the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) for a pull. “Everywhere I go, I’ve always bragged on the Meade County Fair,” said Larry Phillips, a puller from Flaherty who has been on the national circuit with the NTPA for several years. “We travel the country and tell all these people about our fair. They could not believe the amount of people who show up at the Meade County Fair.” Phillips’ bragging evidently got the attention of the NTPA, and he was able to introduce NTPA to the Meade County Fair board so they could work together to sanction an NTPA event in Meade County. The NTPA was very impressed with the Meade County Fair operation, according to fair manager David Pace. “Especially for the first year of an NTPA event, they were very impressed with how well it was organized,” said Pace. “And they were very pleased with the crowd.” That good first impression made a national impact. During the NTPA annual awards banquet Dec. 9, 2006, the Meade County Fair event was named Grand National Pull of the Year. The pullers vote for this award, said Pace, and they were impressed by the crowd size and the hospitality shown the pullers in the pit house and throughout the fairgrounds. Phillips traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to receive the award on behalf of the Meade County Fair. “It was a big honor for us to get that award of the many grand national hooks they have over the country,” said Phillips. “It meant a lot to me that David asked me to go represent the Meade County Fair. It was a real honor to receive the award for Meade County.” “I think they’re a good organization to work with,” said fair board member Kenny Haught of the NTPA. “They’ve been very cooperative. We’re looking forward to next year’s pull.” Haught also noted Meade County had received the Nearly Perfect Event Award from The Puller, the official publication of the National Tractor Pullers Association Inc. In writing about the “rousing success” of the Meade County Fair pull, writer Gregg Randall called it an outdoor version of the National Farm Machinery Show Pull and listed the setting, the pulling and the Saturday night record crowd as reasons for calling it a “nearly perfect event.” “We knew NTPA was the premier group to go with,” said Pace. “We feel we’re capable of running a very good truck and tractor pull, and this award has shown others think so as well,” said Pace. “Jay Miller and C.W. Hesler and all their workers have made the event run smoothly. It takes everybody to make it a success, and this award belongs to all of them.”
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Photo courtesy NTPA