TONASKET – The Tonasket Rodeo Grounds is hosting a tractor pull event on Saturday, July 24.
“We’re trying to bring new types of entertainment and these pullers couldn’t come to an agreement with Spokane County to use their fairgrounds so Moonlight Pullers are coming here,” Roger Sawyer, a Tonasket Comanchero Rodeo Club member, said. “We’re going to have people from Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Montana coming here.”
The event begins at 7 p.m. with Mark Peterson of KXLY out of Spokane as the announcer. Sawyer said local drivers are welcome to enter into the competition up until the day of the event for a $25 fee. The winners will receive trophies and cash prizes based on a percentage of the total amount of entry fees.
The tractor pull event, Sawyer said, will feature modified alcohol burning four-wheel drive pick-up trucks and modified tractors.
“These things have 1100-1200 horse power motors,” he said. “They’re big, they’re loud and it’s going to be a great show.”
The winners of the race will be determine by who pulls the sled the farthest with their vehicle and the sled has a moving weight on it that moves the friction and makes the sled harder to pull, Sawyer said.
Competitors can enter into the event in five classes: gasoline engines under 6,000 pounds, gasoline engines over 6,000, diesel engines under 8,000 pounds, diesel engines over 8,000 pounds and an open trucks division for any kind of big truck. Sawyer said there will be no open tractor division.
During the event, the concession stands will be open as will the beer garden, which will be run by the Tonasket Eagles.
Pre-sale tickets for the event will cost $12 for adults and $8 for children 6-12 years old. These tickets are available in Tonasket at Superior Auto, Two Sisters Video and the Junction; in Omak/Okanogan at Extreme Sports and Ag Technology Farm Supplies; in Oroville at Les Schwab Tire Center and Veranda Beach Resort and in Republic at Napa Parts House. Sawyer said that on Friday, July 23, Superior Auto Parts in Tonasket will be hosting a Customer Appreciation Luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. which will feature some of the trucks that will be in the next night’s show for people to look at.
Tickets at the gate will cost $15 for adults and $9 for children 6 to 12 years old.
Finally, on-site camping will also be available. For those camping outside of the rodeo grounds gates, the camping is free, but for those camping inside the gates, the cost will be $10 per night.
