Winkler Tractor Trek

 

 
Saturday July 13^th was a great day to drive vintage tractors.  Forty-six tractors took part in the sixth annual Eden Foundation Fund-raising Tractor Trek.

The starting point was at Reinland Community Centre where tractor drivers and anyone present was invited to breakfast. 

Then Joel Klassen; Music Therapist for Eden Health Care Services, along with his two young sons sang "Tractors Everywhere, Man" specially prepared for the tractor drivers.  Vicar Jeremy Richert of Trinity Lutheran Church in Winkler gave us the Trekker’s Prayer and the procession made its way west.

As the tractors made their way through a number of southern villages, people came out to watch and applaud their favourite entries.  A few hours later everyone arrived at Glencross EMM Church for lunch.  Forty-six tractors taking up a significant portion of the church parking lot was an impressive sight.

 

From there, the entourage headed north to the Pembina Threshermen’s Museum, where a good crowd was waiting to greet them.  It was very satisfying for the drivers to have people milling about and looking at the tractors they’d brought.  After having a “Pepsi-and-a-Revel”, the Tractor Olympics started.  Not all of the 46 tractors took part but the action of having four different events going at about the same time, gave the area a real “buzz” with Sig Pfahl as the announcer adding some of that energy.

Three judges made some difficult decisions in determining "the best" in a variety of categories.  The three judges were Willie Rempel (foreground) chief judge Helmut Klassen and Harry Siemens (background).  The winners declared for the various categories were:

George Klassen on a 1960 John Deere 630 had Best Non-Restored Tractor.  That was decided as being a tractor in its "workin' clothes".  No restoration work done.

Alvin Brandt from Blumenort north of Steinbach took hom Best Restored Tractor for his 1954 McCormick W4 Super.  Best restored in this category was determined as being the one restored to original condition with no non-factory additions or embellishments.

Micah Elias with his granddad John, took the Best Original Restored Tractor (with modifications).  Acceptable modifications were minor embellishments such as a step to make getting onto the tractor easier.  Micah and John brought their 1953 Allis Chalmers WD45.

The Smoothest Running Tractor award went to Don Engbrecht from Boissevain who brought a 1949 Farmall A.

The Oldest Tractor award went to Abe Ens on his 1940 Case VC.

This was the first year that the Tractor Trek featured the Tractor Olympics.  Sixteen drivers out of the 46 took part in four events.

The first event was the Egg-Cracking event, which required the driver to back the hitch up against an egg and crack it without penetrating the egg.  That was won by Jake Thiessen of Morden on his 1959 John Deere 730.

The next event was a Barrel Roll that required the driver to move a barrel from start line to finish line without leaving the lane.  That event was won by Don Engbrecht from Boissevain on his 1949 Farmall A.

The third event was a Hay-wagon Backing competition which was won by Abe Klassen on his 4010 John Deere.

The final event was the Slow Race and no one could drive slower than Bill Reimer on his 1952 Farmall 504 Hycrop.  His award was the Chairman's Cup; which we were informed was dishwasher safe.  Along with that he won a years subscription to Antique Power Magazine.

In total, the Tractor Trek generated in excess of $50,000 dollars for which the organizers are extremely grateful.  The tractor owners and the drivers; some of which were one and the same, made significant efforts in support of the programs of Eden Health Care Services and without their participation and their commitment to this work, this event would not have been the success it was.

In addition, the business community has been an invaluable inspiration to the Eden family and in return deserves the support of the people whom they hope to serve.  These are the organizations that have made it possible:

Access Credit Union

Ens Quality Seed

Essen Ent. Ltd.

CFAM

Triple E / Lode King

Elmer Friesen

Canadian Tire

Concord Projects Ltd.

Hespler Farms Ltd.

Nick & Dorothy Heide

Pfahl’s Drugs Ltd.

Delmar Commodities Ltd.

JR Bearing & Power Ltd.

MANDAKO AGRI 2010 LTD.

Peter D. Zacharias

Winkler Pharmacy

Border  View Electric Ltd.

Carman Concrete Ltd.

Convery-All Ind. Inc.

Giesbrecht Excavating

Greenvalley Equipment Inc.

Landmark Feeds

Leatherdale Insurance Agency Ltd.

Loadline Manufacturers Inc.

Peter Ginter Construction Ltd.

H. Fehr Co. Ltd.

Rosenort Motors

Sawatzky’s Appliances Ltd.

Spud Brothers

Sunvalley Tire Ltd.

Wentworth Ag (2003) Inc.

Winkler Co-op

Bill Klassen Auctions

Photography courtesy of Terry Klassen

From another perspective, you can read and watch more on this LINK to the story on Pembina Valley On-Line.