Ted Ramsey might well call it the longest fall fair in the world with a one-day event this month and the main one-day fair happening in early September.
But there’s a good reason Ramsey and the Skeena Valley Fall Fair committee have scheduled a heavy horse pull Saturday at the Thornhill Community Grounds.
“This is our second annual heavy horse pull and we have it this time of year because it matches with the start of the heavy horse circuit,” explained Ramsey.
And by placing the fall fair’s heavy horse pull within the circuit calendar, the fair committee expects to attract a good number of entrants.
“Last year we were hoping for 10 teams and we got eight and we’re shooting for 10 this year. That’s sufficient for a good two or three hour pull,” said Ramsey.
It also helps that the committee is putting up $5,000 in prize money for the top four finishers.
“Each competitor gets $200. That doesn’t even buy fuel but it’s something we can do,” Ramsey added.
Teams compete to determine who can pull the heaviest load over a set distance. The weight a team is required to pull goes up by 500 pounds at a time until just one team remains.
The May 28 heavy horse pull begins at 10 a.m. with a pancake breakfast followed by the main event which begins at noon.
As an added attraction for those attending, there’s music from local performers beginning at 3:30 p.m. complemented by recording artist Julian Austin.
And North West R/C Club will offer up its own version of a heavy pull by having its members compete to see whose radio-controlled miniature vehicle can pull the most weight.