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The Pipestone County Fair will feature a pair of tractor pulls and two rodeo-style events later this week.
Here’s a rundown of what’s ahead:
Thursday, July 31
Pole Bending
Pipestone Smokin’ Barrels will conduct a pole bending run at the Pipestone County Fairgrounds horse arena.
Exhibitions will start at 6 p.m., with runs to follow starting at 7 p.m.
Entry fees are $30 for an open run, $20 for youth runs and $5 for exhibitions.
Josey Fey competes during the youth pole bending event on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Pipetone County Fairgrounds. (Photo by Eric Viccaro)
Anyone is welcome to compete in this jackpot event, which will feature an unspecified amount of added money and other prizes.
Water will be available for horses.
After the pole bending run, there will be a special Jumanji run — which also features barrels.
For the Jumanji run, the entry fee is $15. The fastest runners will receive a shiny buckle in this event.
Friday, Aug. 1
NTPA Truck/Tractor Pull
The National Tractor Pullers Association is sanctioning a contest set to begin at 7 p.m. Friday in the fairgrounds’ grandstand.
Event organizer Scott Crawford, who also is a member of the Pipestone County Fair board, said this year’s pull will have more contestants. In turn, competition will be heightened.
Crawford said tractor pulls of this caliber are rare in southwest Minnesota. Many of the contestants compete on the United Pullers of Minnesota circuit.
There will be three tractor and three truck-pulling classes. Tractor classes include limited pro, pro farms and super farms. Truck classes are: super stock four-wheel drive, pro stock semis and basic four-wheel drive.
Justin Schlegel, on Mind Games, competes in the 2024 National Tractor Pullers Association event at the Pipestone County Fairgrounds. (Star file photo by Eric Viccaro)
Crawford reported the top-10 entrants per class will receive prizes (some form of payout by check).
Grandstand admission is $20 for 12-year-olds through adults. Children ages six to 11 years old will be charged $10, and those five years of age and younger are admitted free.
Tractors and trucks will be judged by the length of their pull, measured in feet. Measurements are tracked by laser beams. New electronic gadgetry also will be in use this year.
Pipestone High School Class of 1977 graduate Dale Bartels, who lives in Chester, S.D., these days, will serve as the public address announcer.
Last year’s winners by class were John Bendzick (326.883 feet, super farms), Phil Jungwirth (315.774, pro farms), David T. O’Connor (319.247, four-wheel drive), Justin Schlegel (333.906, super stock FWD) and Michael Lee Adams (349.488, pro stock semis). Adams’ pull was the best of the evening.
Saturday, Aug. 2
Great Plains Tractor Pull
Unlike last year, the Great Plains Tractor Pullers, Inc., will run a separate show beginning at noon Saturday.
This will be a daylong contest, with pullers running until roughly 6 p.m.
Both the National Tractor Pullers Association and United Pullers of Minnesota are sanctioning a truck and tractor pull set for Friday at the Pipestone County Fairgrounds grandstand. Six divisions will be contested. Here’s a scene from the 2023 pull. (File photo by Kyle Kuphal)
There are several classes: pure stock, improved stock, altered farm, modified, open farm, pro farm and truck classes, too, including diesel-powered vehicles.
This past Friday evening, the Great Plains Tractor Pullers, Inc., conducted a show in Luverne, Minn., during the Rock County Fair.
Also Saturday
Ranch Rodeo
Birch Coulee Arena, LLC, based near Redwood Falls in Morton, will present a ranch rodeo beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Time information was incorrectly reported in a previous Pipestone County Star story as well as the 2025 Official Premium List.
Birch Coulee Arena also will have a show Saturday at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Tyler scheduled for noon.
There will be four events contested: team sorting, doctoring, two-calf trailer loading and penning.
A special ranch rodeo is on the docket for Saturday, Aug. 2, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (Contributed photo)
The doctoring contest is a noted fan favorite, thanks to the use of shaving cream.
All events feature a time limit of 60 seconds, so the pressure is on straight away.
Teams will draw cards to establish the running order, and cattle numbers will be drawn in random fashion.
Teams will then be awarded points based on their efforts.
For information, call Eva Rudolph at 1-612-202-8720 or email her at: bcoulee@msn.com.