From the Horse Ring to the Tractor Pull – Gordon Spreutels
From the Horse Ring to the Tractor Pull - Gordon Spreutels
From the Horse Ring to the Tractor Pull – Gordon Spreutels
0:01
My name is Gordon Spreutels. And in the 1950s I moved to Mt. Upton and started Spreusview Farms with my father and my brother Wilbur. We started showing cattle at the Fair.
0:20
And in the 1960s when my kids were old enough, they were also showing at the Fair. And then they got involved in 4H. And my wife and I started a horse club for, we had about 15 kids in the club. And I built a show ring at our farm and found that there was a need for a show ring at the Fair.
0:55
So I petitioned the Fair Board and they agreed to let us build something down near the river. I asked for donations and got a couple lumberyards to donate materials. I brought over my farm tractor and auger to drill holes for the posts and also a generator for power. And with the help of other 4H horse leaders from the county we built the arena – actually horse ring – that is still being used today.
1:43
I also got interested when they started tractor pulling and I brought my tractor over for many years. See what it would do compared to other farm tractors. But when they started souping the tractors up and becoming overpowered I quit the tractor pulling. But I got involved with weighing the tractors over the scale, which I am still doing today.
2:21
The opening day of the Fair there is always a harness race. And they needed somebody to drive the water truck to dampen the horse track so it’s not dusty. So I got involved in that and been doing that for probably over 20 years. Marie and I were also King and Queen of the Fair one year. I’ve enjoyed many years of working with the Fair, seeing it change over the years and being involved.
