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Local Tractor Pulls Carrying Out Tradition

photo by Photo Provided Ready for action, Jason VanDeWeert and his tractors will be back at Field Days and part of the local and family tradition that so many wait for and enjoy.

Tuesday August 5, 2014

By Emily Martin

Tractor pulling for Jason VanDeWeert has been a part of his life since the young age of five. And since then Jason VanDeWeert and tractor pulls are often mentioned in the same sentence in the state of Vermont. Jason has grown up on a dairy farm and became very fond of operating equipment and over the years began helping his father and uncle prepare for pulls at the local county fair until he eventually began competing on his own in 1995. When he was younger preparing equipment for pulls was a much lengthier process than it is now. “Years ago getting ready for a tractor pull at Field Days consisted of a day and a couple nights.” Tractors would need to be modified to fit into their weight class and in order to increase horsepower adjust fuel injection, one of Jason’s favorite parts. Today the tractors the VanDeWeerts use are specifically meant for pulling and do not need as much preparation. Instead Jason VanDeWeert focuses on not competing in one event this year but in twenty tractor pulls all over New England.
Tractor pulls are no easy feat and generally people are unaware of the time and effort that is required behind the scenes and for Jason VanDeWeert who has stayed up countless summer nights preparing for a pull often the winnings do not cover the expense he has already put into his equipment. He also participates in beneficial events like the Addison County Truck and Tractor Pull in September at the Addison County Fairgrounds with the proceeds going to help local families in need. Jason, like many others who enjoy the sport feels there is a link that extends beyond the actual roar of the engine and the thrill of pulling. It is a testimonial to a way of life and a commitment to the land and farming.
Jason, with his experience in the sport offered advice to any newcomers pulling for the first time, “If you are having fun you are doing it for the right reasons and remember it is a family sport.” And the VanDeWeert’s tractor pulling is very much indeed a family sport which includes two generations competing this year and four generations attending the fair. If you are at Field Days stop by the tractor pulls. Chances are you might see Jason or a family member carrying on an important family tradition and showcasing once again the focus on agriculture, family and fun in the Champlain Valley

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