“You bring your boots,” Kyle Riley, 9, of Seward said about an upcoming national tractor pull.
It won’t be just any tractor pull, though. Three Seward County children will compete at the 2017 National Pedal Pull Championship Sept. 23 at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.
This will be Kyle’s third year competing at the national competition. Children who qualify at the celebrations like the Seward County Fair and Milford Fun Days go on to compete at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. If they do well at the state fair, they qualify to compete at the Corn Palace.
Kyle’s strategy in competing is wearing his cowboy boots and hooking them into the pedals so they don’t slip.
Kyle’s mom, Susan, said nationals are very competitive.
“People do come from all over,” she said. “They have their own little cheering sections.”
At the county level, Kyle said the 9-year-old competitors pulled 190 pounds this year. Susan said they really weight the pedal tractors down at the national level.
“If you got a full pull at nationals, you pretty much win,” Kyle said.
A full pull is determined by distance for each competition.
In his free time, Kyle enjoys football, baseball, PS4, 4-H, showing animals at the fair and piano.
Landen Schaefer, 5, lives north of Staplehurst and loves all things tractor.
The kindergartner at Seward Elementary began kiddie tractor pulling two years ago. He is the son of Nicki and Matt Schaefer. Last year, he was first in his age division at the county fair, first at the state fair and second at nationals.
When asked what he likes most about it, he said he really likes the tractors and the trophies. He has won three trophies and looks forward to competing in Mitchell.
The Schaefers have their own pedal tractor at home for him to ride around. Because his parents knew his love of tractors, they originally just signed him up for fun.
“He won in Seward and then we were like, well, do we got to the state fair? Then we went there and he won that. And we were like, well do you go to nationals in South Dakota? And then he got second there and we’re like whoa,” Matt said smiling. “He’s infatuated with tractors.”
Landen said his favorite color of tractor is orange, but he drove a red tractor at the state fair. His favorite kind of tractor is Allis-Chalmers.
The family said they enjoyed nationals last year and made the trip a small family vacation with some sight-seeing.
Both Matt and Nicki were surprised at how competitive nationals was.
“We did not know what to expect,” Nicki said. “There is a lot of good competition.”
Matt said Landen practices at home and has a fan club among neighbors, family and friends.
Matt said the neighbors told him to hook bricks behind the tractor to build up Landen’s leg muscles.
“After last year when he won at state fair, there was a lot of people that were really surprised to see some little kid from Staplehurst, Nebraska, do something that is so nationwide. It was cool,” Matt said.
In his free time, Landen likes playing with tractors, riding in tractors, helps his family bale hay and spends time with his brother, Braeden, 12.
Adyline Herr of Milford saw success in her first year of tractor pulling. During Milford Fun Days, Herr was talking to Taric Liechty, the family’s youth pastor from Bellwood Mennonite Church.
“He told her she should go try out. So she did. Thanks, Taric,” Deann Herr, Adyline’s mother said.
Adyline is a 5-year-old kindergartner at Milford Elementary. She is the daughter of Deann and Doug Herr. Adyline won her age division at Milford Fun Days and was runner-up at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. She will compete Sept. 23 at the national competition in Mitchell, South Dakota.
“When we walked into the State Fair she saw the trophies sitting on the table. All she wanted was a trophy,” Deann said.
Adyline’s dad, Doug, told her to keep pedaling until she couldn’t go anymore, and she could try to place for trophy.
“When her name was called as second place, she looked up and asked if she could go get her trophy now,” Deann said.
In her free time, Adyline enjoys dancing at Corner Star Dance Studios, singing, playing at the park, coloring and riding her bike. She also loves going to Florida. Her brother, Chantz, is 3 years old.
For more information about the national competition, visit nationalpedalpullers.webs.com.
