Berks County Pullers ends 28th year with annual awards banquet

Berks County Pullers ended its 28th year of pulling with the annual awards banquet on Sunday, November 15, 2015. In all, 31 people enjoyed the afternoon of awards, door prizes, good talk and food.

The big awards for the year were the Hooker of year Jeff Jager from Sussex, NJ. Jager won first place in all five points pulls in the Max Tractors 1,000 pound class. The Rookie of the Year was 8-year-old Corey Gilbert from Mertztown, PA, who had 12 first places in the classes that he pulled. Gilbert is part of a family of three generations of pullers. His father, Todd, and grandfather, Dennis, have been a part of BCPA for many years.

The pulling club out of Oley, PA had 43 members in 2015. Most of the members pulled at least once during the pulls at the Oley Fire Company Fair Grounds. There are also nonmembers that came to pull at the home track. First place pulls were won by 22 different members.

Berks County Pullers has a points system for the members.

The first place points winners in 2015 were: Corey Gilbert Lawn Stock 900 pounds, and Youth Factory Stock 800 and 900 pounds, Nick Haydt Lawn Stock 1,000 pounds, Dale Lynn Factory Stock 1,000 and 1,100 pounds, Rodney Borger Stock 16 hp 1.000 and 1,100 pounds, Milton Jager 25 hp 1,000 pounds, Marie Hoyt 25 hp 1,100 pounds, Jeff Jager Max 1,000 pounds, Robert Mar- cine Max 1,100 pounds, Tony Montey Pro Stock 1050 pounds, Eli Zimmerman Super Pro 1050 pounds and Tim Hilbert Open 1,050 and 1,100 pounds.

The pullers will now go into winter mode. New pullers will be built, old pullers checked and updated if needed. This is also a time of indoor pulls. In PA there will be two in March. One will be at Harrisburg in the Farm Show Building and the other at the Lebanon Fair Grounds. Some pullers will go out to the Midwest for indoor pulls. All the pullers will be glad to see April come when the outdoor season will start again.

Berks County Pullers have the pull dates for 2016 booked at the Oley Fire Company Fair Grounds.

The first pull will be April 10 at 12:00. This is the test pull where members can bring their pullers and see if they are ready for the pulling season. The points pulls start at noon on Sunday, May 15; Sunday, June 12; Sunday, July 10; Saturday, August 13 (Oley Fire Company Peach Festival). They will also take place Saturday, September 17 at 10:00 (Oley Fair) and the last pull of the year Sunday, October 9 at 10:30 which is the Oley Fire Company Apple Festival.

For more info about Berks County Pullers, go to www.berkspullers.org, check out Berks County Pullers on Facebook or e-mail Dale at bcpadel@hotmail.com.