If you traveled to Ellsworth, WI yesterday and the Pierce County Fairgrounds, you were witness to a sport that is alive and well. The “Showdown in Curdtown” is a national past time as far as the 1000s of fans are concerned who head to this mecca every June to watch not just pulling, but to be surrounded by it. The bar was set this year, the fragile glass ceiling overhead, shattered. Ladies and gentleman, the show yesterday embodied the true spirit of what this sport is all about. Let me tell you more.
Pulling isn’t just what you see go down the track. It’s not just some fun, “redneck” hobby to kill time. This sport, our sport, is about so much more and Ellsworth proved that once again. From the volunteers to the event staff, from the fans to the pullers, from the kids to the adults, all bases were surely covered. You could have brought a pulling “checklist” to this event and hit every box, that’s no joke. I heard terms such as “largest crowd ever” to “I never, ever miss Ellsworth.” The atmosphere was electric, the sights and sounds of pulling were in full swing over every square inch of that massive pulling venue.
(Seen here is event promoter Kevin Lindstrom checking the dirt pile left behind his Limited Pro Stock with the full house behind him watching on under the Ellsworth water tower.)
The gorgeous weather after a wet week set the stage for a storm of a different kind to make its way to town. The fans showed up in groves and packed the house to capacity. I kid you not, there wasn’t an empty seat in the house and this is simply a regional event in NW Wisconsin which tells you even more. The volunteers were everywhere, working as hard as any I have ever seen to feed the crowds, keep them hydrated and make sure the event was continuously enjoyable for all. The track crew battled wet conditions yet turned that piece of clay into a battlefield of epic proportions. Wet pit area you say, no problem, they dealt with that curveball as well and made due. So what else did I personally see, walk with me here.
One of the true special moments in pulling is when you hear so many compliments to the event promoters like “great job all around” and “thank you so much for your hard work.” That, pulling fans, is what keeps volunteers going. People want to keep events going, they want to provide entertainment for their fellow neighbors, and a kind word goes a long way in returning the favor. I was on the mic last night doing the winner’s circle and I had the honor of talking to guys from all corners of the state, from Johnson Creek to Pestigo to Cuba City. We had pullers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri (I’m sure I missed a state or two). I tried to hit him to the crowd that this pull, like many others, isn’t put on by people ten minutes down the road but many hours. I spoke to Esdon Lehn (The King of Smoke) who still loves coming to Ellsworth. Or how about Peyton Berg, still finishing up high school and she comes out and gets third place in a class full of the best anywhere. As the WTPA slogan reads, “its pulling at its best.”
(Captured here is Peyton Berg, a student at Ellsworth High School, exiting the track after a third place finish in front of the home crowd)
I will close with this. Events like we saw yesterday take hours, days, weeks and months of prep work. So many good people behind the scenes are constantly making calls, taking trips and putting in the extra effort to make sure we are all entertained to the max. The Ellsworth FFA Alumni, the pullers and the WTPA/NTPA staff hit this one out of the park. If you were to draw up a blue print for a perfect event, this one would be studied in and out. It was a true team effort and that is something we should all strive to emulate. To the 1000’s of fans who made Ellsworth the center of pulling in the Midwest yesterday, thank you for your support. To all the volunteers, a job well done. And to the pullers who make the show great, we all appreciate what you do. Ladies and gentleman, pulling fans from all walks of life, the spirit of pulling here in Ellsworth truly is…. ALIVE and WELL.
I would like to extend an extra thanks to Kevin Lindstrom and the Ellsworth FFA Alumni for all their hard work and dedication to the sport.
I have not been to the Ellsworth Pull in years. I was amazed at how much it had changed. The pit side bleachers were great. Everywhere I looked I saw volunteers working. The Announcers were great with information on the pullers and their truck or tractor. They were speedy informing us with the length of the pulls. . I truly enjoyed the whole evening. Thank you to all that were involved , specially to all the drivers because without you there would be no show.
Thank you Lois for sharing your comments.
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