At antique tractor pulls, you don鈥檛 want people getting close to the action for fairly obvious reasons, a trait that makes it ideal for a socially distanced event, according to Fort 91原创 resident Sandy Hope, treasurer of the Fraser Valley Antique Tractor Pullers Association.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy for us because you鈥檝e got equipment [running] and you don鈥檛 want to get close,鈥� Hope told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淲e stay apart from each other. It鈥檚 perfect.鈥�

However, viewers tend to watch from grandstands, and under those conditions, it is just not possible to maintain the six feet of separation required during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Usually, competitions are held at the Aldergrove fair as well as other community events in Chilliwack and Agassiz, all of which have been cancelled this year because of the coronavirus.

RELATED: Aldergrove Fair goes virtual

So this year, it will be a different, drive-by kind of event, there will be only one, and it will be held at the dairy farm at 8796 240 Street near Fort 91原创 on Saturday, Aug 8 from, roughly, 11 am. to 3 p.m..

Hope said the response so far has been good, with as many as 30 participants planning to come.

It appears many of the people who normally watch the contests at the different fairs are planning to attend, based on the online messages he鈥檚 seen.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e bringing their families,鈥� Hope noted.

Farm owner Brian Anderson said it will be the only opportunity this year for people to watch an antique tractor pull.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e not going to do it anywhere else.鈥�

Viewers can stay in their cars to watch the proceeding as part of Eagle Acres 鈥淪aFarmi Drive-Thru鈥� which has a fee of $10 per vehicle

鈥淥ur social distancing is 鈥攅veryone is in their vehicles,鈥� Anderson explained.

READ ALSO: South 91原创鈥檚 next generation of tractor pullers

Tractor pulling, which also known as power pulling, is a motorsport competition, which requires modified tractors to pull a heavy sled along a 35 ft wide, 300 ft. long track, with the winner being the tractor that pulls the sledge farthest.

dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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