LSGTPA Season Opener Results from Bonham

LSGTPA Season Opener Results from Bonham Texas

Bonham, Texas was home to the Texas and Pacific Railroad Divisional Roundhouse in 1881.  It was here that railroad engines would be serviced and repaired, positioned on the brick T&P Railroad Turntable, and returned to service freshened and anew.  Just a few yards from the remnants of the old railroad turntable, the Lone Star Garden Tractor Pullers Association machines were rolled out and returned to service during the 2013 season opening event, held in conjunction with the Bonham Heritage Day celebration. 

Opening ceremonies included an outstanding presentation of our National Anthem, delivered by Bailey Melvin and Morgan Dellow in an awesome duet performance.   Mason Hovind then made his LSGTPA pulling debut in grand fashion, with a win in the Youth Class, aboard his 'Yes Deere' John Deere entry.   Lane Duncan, aboard his ' Texas T-Rex', turned in a Runner-Up finish and Aidan Hovind posted a third place finish.  Cassidy Bramlett took her 'Nacho' tractor to a fourth place finish, with Jared Stephan scoring a top five pull.  Kody Langham and Aston Atkins rounded out the top of the highly competitive Youth Class pulling field.

Steve McCarley took the Stock title, with Alton Degner and Claude Lewis, Sr. placing second and third.  Skeet Degner pulled to a fourth place spot, just inches in front of Jarod Howdeshell and Kolby Langham.  In the newly formed Stock Diesel class, Ken Langham Jr. pulled his Bonham Service Center tractor to the victory.  The Big Stock field was topped by Alex Jesko, with Shawn Aufdenkamp scoring a second place finish.  Patrick Bramlett finished third, with Jerry Toland and Kolby Langham scoring top five finishes.  Alton Degner rounded out the Big Stock tractor entries. 

Alex Jesko doubled up, with a win in Stock Altered, over the 'A-Muck' entry of Patrick Bramlett and the 'Pulling for Peanuts' machine of Michael Mayberry.  Ken Langham took the victory in Super Stock Class, and Steve Pierce took the title in the Motorcycle powered class, with 'Buzzards Roost'.  The Outlaw Class title was taken by John Aufdenkamp's 'Three of a Kind' triple engine tractor, over Ken Langham Sr.'s 'Going Green' electric powered machine. 

The wild Mini Rod class saw two full pulls, with David Houchen taking the win over Jerry Toland's 'Shinin Time' tractor.  Colby Crowe finished in the third place position aboard his 'Weekend Warrior' machine, by a margin of less than one inch, over the '99% Moody' tractor of Sarah Moody.  In the Super Rod Class, James Moody pulled to the victory, with Donny Mayo and Randall Moody placing second and third.  Tyler McCarley and John Kiemele turned in top five finishes to begin the season.

The LSGTPA teams have left the old T&P Railroad roundhouse site in Bonham,  with the next stop scheduled for the Hunt County Fair in Greenville, Texas on June 7 and 8.

Bailey Melvin and Morgan Dello perform the National Anthem.

Bailey Melvin and Morgan Dello deliver the National Anthem during opening ceremonies.

Lane Duncan aboard the 'Texas T-Rex' pulling tractor, during the Bonham Heritage Day celebration pull.

'It'll Do' pulls the LSGTPA sled downtrack during the Bonham LSGTPA event.

'Ridge Runner' on a pass in Bonham, during the Heritage Day tractor  pull.

Ken Langham, Jr. debuts his Stock Diesel tractor in Bonham , Texas.

'Triple Duece' working hard on the Bonham pulling track.

'Weekend Warrior' turned in a great finish at the Bonham LSGTPA  event.

Ken Langham takes 'Going Green' downtrack with electric power, during the Bonham Heritage Day pull.

Mason Hovind debuts in the LSGTPA Youth Class, and scores a victory.

John Aufdenkamp pilots 'Three of a Kind' downtrack in Bonham.

Jerry Toland and 'Shinin Time' at work in Bonham.

"Buzzards Roost' taking the LSGTPA sled downtrack in Bonham.

Making noise in Bonham with the 'Varooom' machine of James Moody.

'Overtime' pulling the sled downtrack, during the Bonham Heritage Day tractor pull.

Sarah Moody and her '99% Moody' John Deere in Bonham.

Morgan Dello and Bailey Melvin perform in Bonham, during the Bonham Heritage Day Celebration.

LSGTPA 2013 Season Opens

The 2013 LSGTPA tractor pulling season is underway !  Several teams attended the Test and Tune event, held at the Bonham pulling track, to undergo the annual technical and safety inspection.  The teams in attendance were then able to hook to the sled, and dial in the tractors for the season opener, to be held in Bonham on May 4.

Some of the Youth Class drivers catch up.

Safety and technical inspection underway at the Bonham Testing  event.

Youth Class track maintenance.

Several new tractors were on hand for some testing.

Steve Hovind takes a look at the Bonham track.

First puller of 2013 was Jared Stephan, waiting to make a hook in Bonham.

Lane Duncan takes his 'Texas T-Rex' out for a little clutch testing.

Kolby Langham dials in his 2013 entry.

Cassidy Bramlett tests her new extended wheel base tractor.

Jared Stephan made several practice laps, during the Bonham Test and Tune event.

Kolby Langham aboard 'Texas Thunder' during the Bonham Test session.

Pullers head to the track for test pulls in Bonham.

John Aufdenkamp dials in a new fuel system, during the Bonham Test and Tune event.

Ken Langham makes a hook with the Langham Team diesel.

Youth Class drivers Lane Duncan, Kody Langham, and Aidan Hovind.

The LSGTPA teams will open the 2013 season in Bonham, in conjunction with the Bonham Heritage Days Celebration, on Saturday May 4.  The event will begin at 3pm, with our National Anthem presentation by Bailey Melvin and Morgan Dellow.

LSGTPA Tractor Pullers Testing in Bonham

The 2013 LSGTPA tractor pulling season has arrived, and the teams will be converging on Bonham Texas for a test session at the Old Ector Road pulling track !  A few sneak peeks of some of the new or improved tractors, have been leaked !!

The test session is scheduled for Saturday, April 20 at 11am.  If you would like to check out some of these machines, or bring your project out to be classified and teched for competition, feel free to stop by !

LSGTPA 2013 PULLING SEASON TAKING SHAPE

The LSGTPA 2013 tractor pulling event schedule is filling up !  While some of the plans are still being finalized for these events, so far the 2013 season looks like a great pulling year !  The teams will debut in Bonham, Texas  in May at the Bonham Heritage Days pull, which is always a great event.  The Hunt County Fair double header, will again be on the schedule in June for Friday and Saturday night events.  The Deleon Peach & Melon Fesitval will host the LSGTPA pullers in 2013 in August.  The pullers will also visit the towns of Blue Ridge, Bartlett, East Tawakoni, Farmersville and Rockdale.  Here is a look at the schedule:

LSGTPA 2013 Pulling Schedule

04-20-13      Bonham Test and Tune -  Bonham, Texas
05-04-13      Bonham Heritage Days Pull - Bonham, Texas
06-07-13, 06-08-13     Hunt County Fair - Greenville, Texas
07-13-13     Thornton, Texas
08-08-13     Deleon Peach & Melon Festival - Deleon, Texas
08-24-13     Bill Halter Memorial Pull - Blue Ridge, Texas
09-14-13     Old Town Festival - Bartlett, Texas
09-28-13     East Tawakoni (tentative)
10-05-13     Old Time Saturday - Farmersville, Texas
10-19-13     Rockdale Fair and Rodeo - Rockdale, Texas

LSGTPA 2012 SEASON RECAP

As the 2012 season comes to a close for the LSGTPA pulling teams, a brief off-season will allow for a moment of reflection, a salute to the 2012 Champions, and then the 2013 plans will take shape on the drawing boards.

 The past season began with an inaugural event in East Tawakoni.  The event was hosted along the shores of beautiful Lake Tawakoni, near the headwaters of the Sabine River.  A great turnout of fans cheered on local pullers John and Shawn Aufdenkamp, as they turned in a one-two finish in the Big Stock Class.  Katyn Yarborough started off her season with an event win in Youth Stock.

Katyn Yarborough takes the Youth Class win in East Tawakoni.

Shawn Aufdenkamp pulls to victory at the Spirit of East Tawakoni pull.

John Aufdenkamp aboard 'Three of a Kind' in East Tawakoni.

The month of May had the pulling teams in action during the Bonham Heritage Days celebration in Bonham, Texas.  The Fannin County event had a record turnout of Youth Class competitors, who each received prizes donated by South Texas Implement.  Local fan favorite and Youth Class alumni Kolby Langham, took home the Stock Class honors, going two for two at the first two events and taking the early class points lead.

Kolby Langham takes the Stock Class title at his home track in Bonham.

Jared Stephan tops a record field of Youth Class tractors during the Bonham Heritage Days.

The Hunt County Fair event in Greenville, Texas is the LSGTPA double header, with pulls on Friday and Saturday night to open the fair festivities in June.  A week of rain provided a very wet track surface, but the show must go on and indeed it did.  Performing artist Amber Carrington delivered the National Anthem for the event, in an awesome presentation on both nights.  Kody Langham pulled off a double event victory during the weekend, in what would be a three in a row winning streak for the Youth Class competitor, aboard his Bonham Service Center Cub Cadet.

Amber Carrington delivers an incredible performance of  the National Anthem in  Greenville.

Kody Langham doubles up at the Hunt County Fair, with two wins in the Youth Class.

As August rolled around, the pullers rolled into Blue Ridge, Texas for the Bill Halter Memorial Pull.  Bailey Melvin presented the National Anthem in her singing debut, in her first of two appearances with the LSGTPA pullers.  Local favorite Sarah Moody took home the class win aboard her '99% Moody' John Deere in the Mini Rod Class.  Ken Langham and the Bonham Service Center crew made the 'Going Green' electric powered tractor debut in impressive fashion.

Bailey Melvin in her National Anthem  performance debut at Blue Ridge.

Sarah Moody pulls to the victory in Mini Rod, aboard her '99% Moody' John Deere.

Ken Langham electrifies the crowd with his battery powered puller.

Steve Pierce used a win in Blue Ridge to pull his way to the 2012 Championship.

A rare rainy weekend in September forced the cancellation of the event in Bartlett, Texas, so the next pull was Old Time Saturday in Farmersville, Texas.  Temperatures were cold throughout the day, but the fans still showed up and the Boy Scouts capitalized on the conditions to sell hot chocolate.  Nashville recording artist Ashliegh Lisset delivered an outstanding rendition of our National Anthem to start the event.  Lisset made an appearance after an invitation by one of her fans, Youth Class competitor Lane Duncan.  Lisset arrived sporting a #83 jersey, as good luck for Lane's #83 'Texas T-Rex' tractor.  The move worked pretty well, as Lane scored a runner-up finish at the event, and presented Ashliegh with an honorary trophy.

Ashliegh Lisset delivers an outstanding rendition of our National Anthem.

Ashliegh Lisset with Lane Duncan in Farmersville during Old Time Saturday.

Ashliegh Lisset sports a #83 jersey during her National Anthem presentation.

Ashliegh Lisset tries on the 'Texas T-Rex' in Farmersville.

Lane Duncan pilots his 'Texas T-Rex to a runner up finish in Farmersville.

Tommy Kimmons hooked up and working at Farmersville.

The pulling action continued in October, as the teams unloaded at the Woody Blanton Memorial Arena at Loy Lake Park in Denison, during the Grayson County Fair.  Bailey Melvin again performed the National Anthem for the fans and pullers.  From start to finish, it was the Aidan Hovind show in the Youth Class, as his 'Yes Deere' tractor delivered two full pulls to take the title.  James Moody used a Full Pull and a class win to seal up the Super Rod Championship points.

Aidan Hovind takes his 'Yes Deere' tractor out-the-gate, on a  double Full Pull performance in Denison.

Cassidy Bramlett  under the lights of the Grayson County Fair rodeo arena.

James Moody records a Full Pull to close out the 2012 season and the points Championship.

The final event of the season in Rockdale, is one of the largest stages upon which the LSGTPA pullers perform.  The pulling track itself, is a Texas State Horse Racing Hall of Fame Race Track surface, dating back to the early 1900's.  Local fan favorite Jerry Toland, aboard his 'Shinin Time' tractor, delivered a runner-up finish to seal his points lead and take the Championship title in the Mini Rod Class.  Ken Langham finished the season strong with a win in Super Stock, with his wild alcohol burning Cub Cadet entry.

Jerry Toland takes the 'Shinin Time' tractor to a strong finish in Rockdale, to secure his 2012 Championship.

Ken Langham, Sr. thrills the crowd in Rockdale with his alcohol burning Cub Cadet.

Lane Duncan, Aidan Hovind, and Jared Stephan in Rockdale.

Thanks to Ashley Jesko and Richard Duncan for the photographs.  Thank you to all of the LSGTPA sponsors and friends that organize and fund the events.  Thank you to our awesome National Anthem performers, Amber Carrington, Ashliegh Lisset, and Bailey Melvin.


With the events in the books, the LSGTPA 2012 Points Champions were crowned.

Kody Langham is crowned 2012 Youth Class Champion

Claude Lewis receives his 2012 Stock Class Championship trophy

Ken Langham,Sr. takes the Super Stock 2012 Championship hardware.

Steve Pierce accepts the 2012 Big Bike Class Championship award.

Aufdenkamp 'Champs', John and Shawn take titles in Stock Altered and Outlaw Classes.

Jerry Toland is crowned Mini Rod Class Champion for 2012.

James Moody takes the 2012 Super Rod Class Championship trohpy.

The LSGTPA Class of 2012