Maine Antique Tractor Club

2013
Maine Antique Tractor Club
MATC Newsletter
PRESIDENT: Bob Clark, 634 Sandy River Rd., Starks, ME 04911
696-3698
VICE PRESIDENT: Matthew Hunter, 17 Nash Dr, Chelsea, ME 04330
622-6608
[email protected]
SECRETARY: Harriet Spencer, 35 No Shore Dr, Smithfield, ME 04978
362-3351
[email protected]
TREASURER: Terry Spencer, 35 No Shore Dr, Smithfield, ME 04978
362-3351
[email protected]
NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Dorita Downes, 652 Titcomb Hill Rd,
Farmington, ME 778-5950
[email protected]
WEBMASTER: Burl Ewell, 48 Serenity Dr, W Gardiner, ME 04345
207-522-0693
-WEB PAGE: http//www.maineantiquetractorclub.com
President’s Message
We have had a busy summer so
far. All of the members who have volunteered to help also
have had a lot of fun along with the work they have done. I
hope to see more of our members at the remaining events and
remember these old tractors collect the nicest people. Keep
them tractors rolling.
Bob Clark
We send our sincere condolences to the
Walter Partridge family on the loss of
their son and brother, Bruce, who passed
away suddenly in July.
**Festival Meeting: There will be a Festival Meeting on Sept 4th at the Norridgewock Land Building. Pot luck at 6
pm, meeting at 7 pm. All are welcome.
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Founded in 1994
Highlights of the August Meeting:
The meeting was held in Weld with Mike & Laurie
Pratt, Steve & Sharon Lee, and Coval & Sonya Conant
as hosts. The hamburgers and hot dogs they grilled
added to our pot luck lunch. Thanks, hosts, for helping
to make this a good day.
A moment of silence was held for Wally Fenlason.
We missed Thurston & Jo Ann Haslam and hope they
will be back with us soon.
It was reported an EDGE&TA member causing an
accident will be required to pay the $1,000 deductable. This is a new policy.
A thank-you letter was read from A-T Children's Project, our charity fund raiser at the festival this year.
A thank-you note was read from Devin Burgess, one
of our scholarship recipients. He is going to the University of Maine studying electrical engineering.
This is Steve Lee's last year as chairman of the pulling committee. If we are going to continue pulling, we
need workers to carry on. It's time to think about making a pulling area on our land.
The lawn & garden pulling committee had another
pull. Our young pullers are having a good time. At the
last pull Glenn DeWitt grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.
Other members brought salads and chips. It was a
great day.
It was voted to pay $20 a day for gas at Bangor Fair
for a total of $180.
It was voted charge Waterford Fair $500 for the tractor pull.
Steve Lee won the 50/50 raffle - $30. He donated the
money to the land improvement fund.
Several members won door prizes donated by our
hosts.
Enjoy the rest of summer. See you at Windsor Fair.
Harriet Spencer, Secy.
NEXT MEETING:
September 8, 2013
Hosts - Bob Hamlin & Rita Fitzsimmons
48 Malloy Rd.. Turner, ME (207) 225-3822
AUGUST
Aug 8- 17 Skowhegan Fair. Contact Bill Clark @ 474-6664
Tractors will be displayed at fairgrounds all week.
AUG 4-11 Topsham Fair, Contact Glenn Dewitt @ 737-9206
Tractor Display and barrel train will be there all week
Aug 16, PHILLIPS PARADE. Contact: Steve Lee @ 585-2286
Phillips Old home Days Big Parade with line up at 4:00 p.m. at the Ballpark west of town on Route 142. Parade begins at 5:00
p.m., usually with a funny theme.
Aug 21 & 22 Maine Farm Days at Misty Meadow farms in Clinton. Contact Bill Clark @ 474-6664
Need big tractors and drivers to haul wagons with visitors on farm tour. There will also be ground plowing and harrowing both
days using trailer plows and disk harrows. Please no hydraulic stuff. This will be for demonstration to visitors on how plowing and
disking used to be done. Should be a fun two days!
Aug 17-24 Union Fair, Contact Glenn Dewitt @ 737-9206
Tractor Pull with progressive drag on Friday Aug 23 at 5:30pm. Tractor display and barrel train all week.
*August 24th, Saturday, at 9 AM there will be a Lawn & Garden Pull at the Norridgewock Land. All are welcome, come and
watch the little kids and the big kids pull their tractors.
August 24 New Gloucester Community Fair contact Kevin Buck @ [email protected] or 926-3361. Fair is from 10 am to 7
pm with tractor or implement display welcomed. Fairgrounds are on Bald Hill road or check out the web page at
www.newgloucesterfair.com for map. This is a change from October to August
Aug 24, Anson-Madison parade. Contact Bob Clark @ 696-3698
Line up on main street in Anson at 9:00 a.m. for 10:00 am parade start time.
Aug 25 – Sept 2 Windsor Fair Tractor display all week. Contact Terry Spencer @ 362-3351
Aug 30, BLUE HILL FAIR. Contact: Dale Fairbanks @ 778-2157 or 317-1872 or [email protected]
Tractor Pull on Friday Night at 5:30 p.m. All classes using Progressive Drag. This is one of our pulls that is most appreciated by
the audience and Blue Hill Fair association.
SEPTEMBER
Aug 30 – Sept 2 Harmony Free Fair. Contact Ralph Bagley@ 683-2391
Labor Day Free Parade. Unload at Chadbourne Road, there will be a sign for directions. Line up at 8:30 a.m.Sept 2 for 9:30
a.m. parade. Display on fairgrounds afterwards for about one hour.
Sept 6- 8, Litchfield Fair, Contact Glen Dewitt @ 737-9206
Maine antique tractor club is invited to display tractors all three days. Barrel train will be active all three days.
Sept 11-14 Oxford Fair, contact Bill Davis @ 539-2597 or Scott Stevens @ 890-4176
Tractor pull with Progressive Drag will be on Saturday the 14th at 9:00 am.
*Sept 14th, Annual Tree Farmer of the Year Award is being given to honor The Abbott Ladd Family on
Sept 14 from 9 am to 3 pm at Brown's Tree Farm 164 Tabor Hill Rd, Vassalboro. There will be walking
tours, vendors, woodsman team, logging with horses and mechanical and other activities going on all
day. For further information contact Mark Brown @ 233-9348. Antique tractors are requested to be on
display at this event and our people mover will be here also to transport people around the farm.
NEW - September 14th The Hartland - St. Albans Lions Club car, truck and tractor show will be held on
Saturday, at the Hartland Consolidated School. The show begins at 9:00 am and is over by 2:00
pm. There will be no entry fee for tractors and the owner and a guest will have free admission. Tractors
will not be judged. For more information call Bob Davids at 938-3258.
New Sept 16, Farmington Fair Tractor Pull with the Progressive Drag at 6 PM on the infield in front of
the Race Grandstand.
Sept 20-22, Unity Common Ground Fair, Contact Glenn Dewitt @ 737-9206 One of our most popular events! Need at least 5
or 6 big tractors to haul people movers from parking lot to fair grounds. Members are encouraged to attend and help drive the
tractors. All drivers who want to park inside the fair grounds must be inside before 8:00 a.m.
September 27th Cumberland Fair Tractor Pull, Contact Tim Dolby @ 892-4175
Tractor pull with progressive drag Friday , Sept 27 at 12:00 PM in front of the Grand Stand.
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OCTOBER
Sep 29 – Oct 6, Fryeburg Fair. Antique tractor show on Tuesday October 1 which is senior citizens day. Contact Don
Chandler @ 935-3339. Don is always looking for unique or special tractors. Please contact him for information if you plan to
come so he can ensure there is display room. Tractor pulls on Sept 29 and Oct 1 with Fryeburg rules. Contact fair office for
information on pulls.
October 12-13 Plow days in Gorham. Contact Dave McCullough @ 839-4205 or 796-2286 or Bill Rust @ 839-3946 Plow
days will be held at the Parsons farm at 320 Buck st in Gorham.
Oct. 13, Sunday. Cabot Cheese Company is putting on a Farm Promotion Day at Kreb's Farm in Starks. Directions: Off from
Rte 134 at the Sandy River Rd intersection: 86 Krebs Rd, Starks, ME. Call Bob Clark 696-3698 for further info if needed.
New Event: October 12, Damariscotta Pumpkin Parade. Parade is approximately 1 mile and starts at Louis Doe Home
Center on Mills Road in Newcastle traveling Mills Road to Maine Street and ends at the Damariscotta Baptist Church. I would
love to have your group participate in our parade and look forward to seeing you there. Contact Mark Doe @ 207-592-1249 or
email [email protected] for more info.
Doodlebug Pulling Competitions:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25: 9:00 AM •
Dover-Foxcroft / Piscataquis Valley Fair

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1: 2:00 PM •
Harmony Free Fair

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7: NOON •
Garland Doodlebug Bowl
The “Doodlebuggers” are looking for new members to
join them. Contact Lloyd Holland at 285-7582 or Randy Chapman at 416-9700 or [email protected]
Bangor Fair Volunteers July/August 2013:
Many thanks to the men and women who volunteered with their tractors and their time to ride the people mover for the 9 days
the Bangor Fair hires us to provide a ride from the midway to the agriculture side. Those providing a tractor Jay Fowler, Ron
McCarthy, Bob Hamlin, Mike Pratt, Gene Cunningham, Ron Staples, Thurston Haslem and Willy Rowe. Volunteers who ride
the people mover and also drive the tractor are Thurston Haslem, Mel Nickerson, Donna Nickerson, Erland Bradstreet, Matt
Hunter, Jay Fowler, Terry and Harriet Spencer, Rita Fitzsimmons and Dale Fairbanks. Dale Fairbanks

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Jay Fowler on JD Tractor and Steve Lee on the Progressive Drag
Waterford World’s Fair, North Waterford, Maine
Progressive Drag
July 20, 2013
2500 lb. Class
1st Stephen Powers, Jr.
2ndScott Stevens
3000 lb. Class
1st Scott Stevens
2ndJason Hannigan
3rd Mike Hannigan
4th Bernard Bumpus
5th Linda Hooker
3500 lb. Class
1st Bill Davis
2nd Scott Stevens
3rd Otto Hunt
4th David Berry
5th Stephen Powers, Jr.
6th Dale McConnell
7th Linda Hooker
8th Mike Hannigan
4000 lb. Class
1st Bill Davis
Oliver 60
Oliver 60
1.18’/2.9’/112.50’
5.23’/10.25’
Oliver 66
Case VAC
Farmall C
Ford NAA
Oliver 66
Farmall 230
John Deere 40
John Deere 40
9.10’/77.49’
68.83’
60.78’
32.24’
8.90’/6.10’
90.62’
80.09’
59.74’
57.52’
49.65’
41.0’
18.23’
15.22’/13.97’
2 Arthur Child
Cockshutt 30
100.65’
3rd Brian Winslow
Oliver 66
98.99’
th
Farmall 230
94.11’
th
5 Don Pease
Cockshutt 30
93.98’
6th Rita Fitzsimmons
Farmall 23
91.34’
th
Oliver 77
90.89’
th
8 Otto Hunt
Farmall C
45.21’/57.26’
9th David Berry
Ford NAA
37.77’/44.74’
7 Scott Stevens
4500 lb. Class
1st Stephen Powers, Jr. Oliver 77
118.54’
2nd Arthur Child
Cockshutt 30
112.57’
rd
Massey Harris
97.96’
th
Cockshutt 30
97.87’
3 Solomon Orff
4 Don Pease
5000 lb. Class
st
Massey Harris
nd
2 Rodney Stevens
John Deere 435 Diesel
38.22’/36.45’
3rdFloyd Stevens
John Deere 435 Diesel 35.35’
4th Brian Winslow
John Deere 50
1 Solomon Orff
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John Deere A
John Deere A
65.75’
62.63’
1st Burl Ewell
John Deere A
45.39’/76.76’
2nd Brian Winslow
John Deere A
71.36’
1st Steve Lee
Farmall M
92.71’
2nd Brian Winslow
John Deere D
84.76’
3rd Rodney Stevens
John Deere D
82.77’
1st Steve Lee
Farmall M
94.02’
2nd Brian Winslow
John Deere A
79.91’
John Deere D
74.77’
John Deere 730
66.92’
2 Bob Clark
John Deere 720
62.08’
3rdFloyd Emerson
John Deere 720
50.00’
Farmall 230
22.70’
6500 lb. Class
Case VAC
Farmall B
Farmall B
Ford 8N
Ford 8N
102.07’
4 Bob Hamlin
1stBob Clark
2ndBurl Ewell
6000 lb. Class
Oliver 66
nd
5500 lb. Class
68.16’
30.91’/20.01’
7000 lb. Class
rd
3 Bill Davis
7500 lb. Class
1st Bill Clark
nd
th
4 Bob Hamlin
NEW PULLING EVENT; Sept 16, Farmington
Fairgrounds at 6 PM on the infield of the race track
in front of the race grandstand.
Antique Tractor Pulling Dates:
August 23, Friday 5:30pm Union Fair Tractor Pull
August 30, Friday 5:30pm Blue Hill Tractor Pull
Sept 14, Saturday 9:00am Oxford Fair Tractor Pull
Sept 16, Monday 6:00 pm Farmington Fair Pull
Sept 27, Friday 12pm noon Cumberland Fair Pull
Treasurer's Report as of July 31,2013
Balance in Checking;
$5,822.05
Balance in Saving:
$9,560.40
Balance in CD's:
$21,130.92
Total Balances in Bank:
$36,513.37
Several MATC Members attended a meeting with EDGE&TA NE Director, Wayne Timchuck. Several
changes in our insurance was brought up and suggested everyone who participates in any tractor event
be reminded of these changes.. The below information from Larry Voris, Director at Large, was published in our June, 2013 Newsletter, last page, but please take note of the five paragraphs especially
the Second and the Fifth paragraphs. Keep it safe while we enjoy our hobby with our tractors.
Dale Fairbanks, Safety
'Larry Voris, EDGETA Director at Large: At the National Board meeting at Morrow, Arkansas, May 19,
2013 we met with our insurance agent for a very informative meeting, discussing our insurance policy.

First, it is getting very hard to obtain an insurance policy like the one
that EDGETA has and it is even harder to keep a policy like this enforce. We can tell by the tractor pulling
clubs that are applying to EDGETA for membership in our organization. They can not obtain a policy at a
reasonable price and they only want to be a member of our organization for our insurance benefit program only. They want our insurance program but want to use there pulling rules. Our requirements state
3.5 mph in all classes, no exceptions. If you read the exhibition class, it is 3.5 mph too. If you
are pulling classes over 3.5 mph then EDGETA is not your choice. There are companies that will insure
tractor pulls with the higher speeds, but they are getting harder to find and are clamping down on their
benefit programs too. If you want to put it into prospective, “with the EDGETA program, you are buying a
Cadillac for the price of a bicycle”. The EDGETA tractor pull is a “traction contest” not a speed race.

Second, we have had several little fender benders and it was the decision of the Board of Directors
that the member involved in an incident be responsible for the $1,000.00 deductible on the insurance policy. The reason being, the members must have some responsibility if an incident should happen.

Third, in the youth driver program, the youth must test and be certified on every tractor they drive.

Fourth, for all the rest of us, we probably need to go through a driver
program too. We must be a defensive driver. It is not tunnel vision when we get on a tractor; we must be
watching the other drivers and looking at the whole picture. Try not to get yourself in a position that you
feel uncomfortable.

Fifth, loading and unloading a tractor or any kind of equipment is probably one of the most dangerous
things we do. If you see something that is not right, stop and keep your distance. If help is need, offer only if you see what the problem is and that you can make it safer. Try to keep all spectators at a safe distance away from all loading and unloading areas. We all like to watch people come in to a show and unload their equipment. It is also scary to look at some of the trailers that tractors and equipment are being
hauled on.
Sixth, some of the ramps being used are not safe. I have watched people load & unload row crop tractors
using only 2 ramps and some want to use a wooden 2 x 8 for the front wheels. If one falls
off a ramp, it is instant; you don’t have time to prepare yourself for the fall. Loading and unloading in wet
weather is especially dangerous. A rubber tire on a dry metal ramp is slick, but on a wet metal
ramp is bad. And all ramps should be the same length.'
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MATC NEWSLETTER
2013
Pedal Tractor Pull 2013 Festival
Having fun in the Festival Parade
Livestock Hoist at the Festival. Behind
the hoist is a 1937 Chev truck owned
by Al Ladd
Arthur Child, Farmington
4th of July Parade
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ABOVE 2 PHOTOS:
Youth Pull - Lawn & Garden,
2013 Festival