On July 26, hundreds of people from the Pontiac and beyond crowded the grounds with RV’s and trucks and foot-traffic for the Quyon fourth annual Tractor and Truck Pull.

Organized by a small committee of residents with the help of around 100 hard-working volunteers and local sponsors, the event served as a community get together where folks could take in the sounds of loud engines as the best pullers in the region arrived in town to wow the local crowd.

As the contestants’ eyes locked onto the shiny Donnie Campbell Memorial Trophy, heavy pick-up truck and tractor drivers made their way onto a 200-foot dirt track where they were tasked with towing a large, green metal float weighing anywhere between 28,000 and 60,000 pounds, as far as they could.

With over 30 highly competitive contestants showcasing their talents throughout the competition, there was no shortage of entertainment for the audience, which remained captivated, packing the bleachers on both sides of the track from start to finish.

Many attendees set up their campers on the park’s grounds a few days leading up to the event.

Adding to the country atmosphere at the grounds, loud western music blasted through the loud speakers throughout the event.

Several food and drink vendors were on hand to satisfy the hungry attendees. Volunteers sold 50/50 tickets underneath tents scattered throughout the yard. Plus, two huge bouncy castles were set-up to keep the hyper little ones entertained.

Before kicking off the event, the crowd held a brief moment of silence in honour of Willie Kovacs, a long-time member of the organizing committee who recently passed away. Kovacs played a significant role in the event’s growth in popularity back in its heyday, according to one of the organizers Kerry-Lynn Campbell.

“They used to attract 10,000 people to the town,” said Campbell.

Following a 25-year hiatus after running in the 1970s and 80s, the event came back to the town in the summer of 2016 and has been a smash hit ever since.

According to the event’s emcee Marc Chartrand, who has been the voice of tractor pulls in the Ottawa Valley for many years, hosting big events like the tractor pull in small towns like Quyon is something that is necessary to keep the rural community thriving.

“Almost every single small community that has one of these, what it does is it boosts up the community for the two or three days beforehand, it gets the businesses involved, it gets the locals involved,” he said.

“The local bar at night time is going to see a lot of guys come in and buy some wings and buy some food,” he added. “It gives everybody a chance to help that community and gather for at least one weekend of the year.”

Following the event, Chartrand praised the organizing committee for how they put together the competition and set up the track so everything was smooth sailing.

“The organizers take a lot of time with this one,” he said. “It’s aesthetically pleasing. It’s easy to see. We don’t have people crossing the track. We don’t have to tell people not to cross the track. They’ve thought about the set up. They’ve thought about where the tractors are going to go. They’ve thought about the flow of the event. That’s the most important thing.”

At the end of the competition, Jeff Overton owner and rider of the single-engine modified tractor named “Midnight Massey” took home the grand prize as he proudly lifted the Donnie Campbell Memorial Trophy over his head.

All the money raised from the event will go towards subsidizing various community projects.

Pictured, the winner of the Donnie Campbell Memorial Trophy, Jeff Overton, poses for a photo after winning the event. From left: Isabelle Overton, Jeff Overton, Bryson Overton, Brodee Campbell and event organizer Chris Davis. (Photo submitted)

Event organizer Chris Davis stands next to “Heatwave” his single engine modified tractor before hitting the track on Saturday.

Contestant Mark Stanton pulls the float using his single engine modified tractor named “Canadian Outlaw” on Friday. (Photo submitted.)

On Saturday, Quyon Recreational Park was packed with people from all over the region as the town hosted its annual Tractor and Truck Pull. Pictured, Pat Carty and Dan Foran pull the float with all their mite using their single engine modified tractor named “Loose Change”. (Photo submitted.)

Trevor Carroll rips up the track in his “Old No. 7” two-wheel drive modified truck. (Photo submitted.)

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