By Amy Batista, Special Writer
CHESTERFIELD — The Central Jersey Tractor Pullers Association held its first 2013 club meeting Jan. 23 at the township firehouse to organize a new season of pulling, competition and family fun events.
More than 60 members attended the winter meeting. The association went month by month planning seasonal activities and iconic farming events.
Farmers from all around the region, including neighboring states, often attend Central Jersey Tractor Pullers Association festivities.
In October 2010, Central Jersey Tractor Pullers Association was organized by farmers with a collective goal of working together while creating buzz for the farming community.
”It started out with 23 guys putting their minds and money together, word soon spread, and there was a lot of interest among the farmers and people involved with agriculture or mechanics,” co-secretary Catherine Gancarz said.
There now are 208 members with tractor pullers participating from Pennsylvania, South Jersey and North Jersey.
Of the tractor pulling events, Ms. Gancarz said, “It’s done with the intent to have fun and to see who has the better tractor. It could be said that it’s big boys playing with big toys. It’s done in fun and to bring people together for a good time.”
She noted, “The fellowship, camaraderie and competition are in the air as people greet each other, seeing old and new friends, as the guys unload the tractors, some just driven there by the drivers from down the road.”
Events are all held at the Burlington County Fairgrounds from April through October.
The organization plans pulls once a month and twice a week during the Burlington County Fair.
The first event of the upcoming tractor pulling season tentatively is scheduled for April 20. The event will be a Garden Tractor Pull at noon followed later in the day with a Big Tractor Pull at 4 p.m.
The tentative CJTPA schedule for 2013 is as follows:
• April 20 — Garden Tractor Pull at noon; followed by Big Tractor Pull at 4 p.m.
• May 25 — Garden Tractor Pull at 2 p.m. followed by a Big Tractor Pull at 6 p.m.
• June 15 — Garden Tractor Pull at 2 p.m.; then a Big Tractor Pull at 6 p.m.
• July 14 — 10 a.m. tractor parade.
• July 18 — During Burlington County Fair week, a Garden Tractor Pull at 6 p.m.
• July 19 — During Burlington County Fair week, a Garden Tractor Pull at 6 p.m.
• July 20 — Pulls at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. during Burlington County Fair week.
• Aug. 16 — Big Tractor Pull at 6 p.m.
• Sept. 21 — Garden Tractor Pull at 2 p.m. followed by a Big Tractor Pull at 6 p.m.
• Oct. 19 — Pumpkin chunking for a Garden Tractor Pull at 9 a.m. followed by a Big Tractor Pull at 1 p.m.
Pulling events offer “a festive air of excitement” as the trucks and tractors arrive, some newly washed and tuned, others loaded straight from working the dusty fields, Ms. Gancarz described.
There are an array of tractors, bright and shiny, other olds and rusty; all have to be 1981 or older. Some are just field working tractors, and some are special built pulling tractors, depending of the weight class and division, she said.
At the January meeting President Paul Shinn, the organization’s founder, discussed an upcoming banquet and auction fundraiser set to take place at the Bordentown Elks Lodge, 11 Amboy Road, on April 16.
The third annual event will feature a buffet dinner and entertainment, including country western singing and dancing. There will be limited seating available.
Mr. Shinn encouraged members to purchase their tickets soon. Members also could donate items for the auction if interested, Mr. Shinn added.
Mr. Shinn said, “We already have a lot of good door prizes.”
The Central Jersey Tractor Pullers Association is planning on having a 50-50 raffle at the fundraiser dinner as well as adding such raffles during community tractor pulling events.
Mr. Shinn said, “Everything we did last year worked pretty good.”
He added the group is working with Burlington County to confirm its 2013 event dates.
”Right now, (Burlington) County said every thing is open,” Mr. Shinn said. “We might give them a date, and they might say that’s not good, but right now they don’t see any problem.”
The mission of the Central Jersey Tractor Puller Association is to promote the education of farming, farm mechanics, farm safety the preservation of antiques farm equipment and recreational tractor pulling.
”It’s mostly an outlet for the people to have fun. Both men and women are club members,” Ms. Gancarz said. “It’s the thrill of the power of the tractor, whose tractor might be a bit more powerful. There are set rules.”
The club meets the fourth Wednesday of every month 7:30 p.m. at the Chesterfield Firehouse. The next meeting will be held Feb. 27.
