The Lone Star Garden Tractor Pulling Association 2014 season is in the history books, and featured some pretty entertaining chapters. By the numbers, the season involved 50 entries from 25 teams, competing in 11 events in 10 different cities, for titles in each of 9 classes.
The season began with the Delta County Fair and Livestock Show event, in Cooper, Texas. The inaugural event drew a great crowd and featured a full house of pulling teams, hoping to start the season off right. Rocky Young Construction provided an excellent pulling track, and Aidan Hovind used the event to start a five-in-a-row winning streak to take the early lead in his run for the Stock Class Championship title.
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| Aidan Hovind scores a win at the Delta County Fair & Livestock Show Pull. |
The next event was to be the only double-header on the 2014 tour schedule, held during the Hunt County Fair in Greenville, Texas. This event was chosen by the Fox Sports Southwest and the Chevy Hometown Kids program, to film the LSGTPA Youth Class for an episode of Chevy Hometown Kids ! While the Youth Class competitors managed to steal the show, Colby Crowe stole the heart of Sarah Moody, and the hearts of the fans, with an on track marriage proposal. The wild event did not distract Ken Langham, Sr, as he took the title in the Super Rod Class in back to back wins on the weekend, to build on a lead to take him to the Super Rod Class Championship.
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| Chevy Hometown Kids host, Emily Reppert, is presented with an honorary trophy by the LSGTPA Youth Class. |
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| Colby Crowe scores a win of Sarah Moody's heart, during the Hunt County Fair Tractor Pull in Greenville. |
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| Ken Langham, Sr. pilots his Bonham Service Center tractor, to back to back wins at Greenville. |
The tour moved to Bonham, Texas for the next event, held during the Bonham Heritage Day celebration. Held at the scenic Powder Creek Park facility, the event was contested along the historic railroad at the Bonham Depot. Steve Pierce piloted his 'Buzzards Roost' tractor to a win in the Motorcycle Class, and would ride at the top of the class enroute to his Motorcycle Class Championship.
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| Steve Pierce pilots his 'Buzzards Roost' machine to victory in Bonham, Texas. |
The DeLeon Peach and Melon Festival would be the fifth event on the 2014 schedule, and Jerry Toland owned the day in the Mini Rod Class. Toland would stack four wins together on the season, aboard his 'Shinin Time' tractor, to earn the Mini Rod Class Championship title.
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| 'Shinin Time' flying high at DeLeon, scoring the win for Jerry Toland's 2014 Championship run. |
As the pulling season arrived at the half way point, championship points started to become a hot commodity. During the Bill Halter Memorial event in Blue Ridge, Ken Langham, Sr. got hot as well, as he piloted his Bonham Service Center entry to a five-in-a-row winning streak, which locked up his Stock Altered Championship title for 2014.
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| Ken Langham rides his Bonham Service Center tractor to a win in Blue Ridge, Texas. |
After a month long summer break, the pullers began a five weekend marathon to close out the season. The first of the five weekend series began in Bartlett, Texas during the Old Town Festival in September. Paul Smith took his 'Texan' machine to the victory, and to the class lead, on his way to the Outlaw Class Championship.
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| Paul Smith aboard his 'Texan' tractor, pulls to victory in Bartlett, Texas. |
The tour would stop in Alvarado, Texas, for an event at the Pioneers and Old Settlers Reunion Grounds. Jared Stephan would take the Youth Class title, aboard his 'Iron Head' tractor, to place his Moody Pulling Team entry at the front of the pack of youth competitors. Stephan would close out the season with consistently strong performances, to take the Youth Class Championship for 2014.
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| Jared Stephan takes the win in the Youth Class, on his run to the 2014 Championship. |
As the teams rolled into Farmersville, Texas for the Old Time Saturday event, several classes were still up for grabs. One of the classes, too close to call regarding the points battle, was the Stock Diesel Class. Ken Langham, Jr. would place his Bonham Service Center entry atop the podium at Farmersville, and go on to win two out of the last three events, to take the Stock Diesel Class Championship.
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| Ken Langham, Jr., takes the win and the points lead during the Old Time Saturday pull in Farmersville. |
The odds of five good weekends in a row in Texas, for outdoor tractor pulling, proved extremely low in probability for October. Calculations varied, but none were good. As the teams rolled into Wills Point, for the Rolling Oaks Volunteer Fire Department event, rain had rolled into the area as well. But, the show must go on, and indeed it did ! The Shawn Aufdenkamp entry put on a great showing, and used a win at the last two events to seal the Big Stock Class Championship title for the Outlaw Pulling Team.
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| John Aufdenkamp takes the win during the Rolling Oaks VFD event in Wills Point, Texas. |
The season finale was held at the Rockdale Fair and Rodeo, in Rockdale, Texas. This event is contested on the historic horse racing track, at the Rockdale Fairgrounds. Performing artist Emily McCoy opened the show with an outstanding performance of our National Anthem, followed by a ceremony to honor Skeet Degner. After the event, during which the 2014 season Championship titles were secured, Rockdale Fair and Rodeo Queen, Julianna Byrd was on hand to present trophies.
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| Emily McCoy delivers an outstanding National Anthem performance during the Rockdale Fair & Rodeo Pull. |
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| Opening ceremonies included a salute to Skeet Degner, at the Rockdale Fair & Rodeo LSGTPA event. |
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| Donny Mayo saves the best for last, as he scores the victory aboard 'Blackfoot Squaw' at the LSGTPA season finale. |
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Rockdale Royalty was on hand, as Rodeo Queen Julianna Byrd presented trophies.
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****** stay tuned to the LSGTPA Blog, as we hope to bring a special entry to salute our National Anthem Performers, our 2014 Champions, and a 'secret shop tour' edition during the off-season ! *******
