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.
Chenango County Historical Society programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
