The Pallamallawa Vintage Tractor Pull returns to the Pallamallawa Recreation Grounds on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9.
Engines will roar, tyres will bite and old machines will be pushed to their limits as about 40 tractors from across NSW and Queensland converge on Pally. The field will range from machines built more than 100 years ago to models manufactured in 1996.
Each competitor must haul a specially designed sled along the track. As the tractor moves forward, weight shifts towards a plate at the front of the sled, steadily increasing the resistance until the machine either reaches the end of the course or can pull no further.
Pally Pullers Inc organiser Chris McLachlan said the changing load forces drivers and machines to work for every metre.
“As the tractor pulls it, the weight slides forward on the sled and it puts more weight on the plate,” Mr McLachlan said.
“It makes the tractor really dig in and lug.”
The event will feature about 14 classes, beginning with 20-horsepower tractors and building to an open class of up to 300 horsepower. Tracked machines, including dozers, will compete separately from the rubber-tyred tractors.
Among this year’s expected entries is Mr McLachlan’s Russian-built tractor from 1967, a machine he described as being “the size of a bloody house”.
While the competition is measured in distance, the appeal is just as much about the machines themselves: their history, their engines and the sound they make under load.
“There’s all different motors and the joy of the noise,” Mr McLachlan said.
Competition begins at 8.30am on Saturday and is expected to continue until about 3.30pm or 4pm. A children’s push and pedal tractor race will be held around lunchtime, giving competitors a break before the afternoon program begins.
Mr McLachlan said Saturday afternoon was a good time for first-time spectators to see the event at its liveliest.
“That’s when all the participants get a little bit more confident and a bit more cocky,” he said.
Finals will be held on Sunday morning, with presentations planned for around lunchtime.
Stalls, barbecue food, drinks and coffee will be available during the weekend, along with a Saturday night dinner.
Spectator entry is $5 for people aged over 16, while those aged 16 and under enter free. The Pallamallawa Vintage Tractor Pull will be held at the Pallamallawa Recreation Grounds, Lot 35 Gwydir Street, with an 8.30am start on both days.
