Diesel smoke was "flying" as tractors participated in Saturday's Lake Country Antique
Tractor Pull, to benefit children.

 

 

Saturday, Tractor Pull, Chili Cook-Off,
and Auction, Benefits Children

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

 

It was antique tractors testing their power, some of the best chili in Northeast Texas cooking in the pots, and an auction of donated items, that raised over $6000.00 for children's charities, as residents of Hopkins County paused and enjoyed a wonderful autumn day at the Bartley Auction Company grounds on Hwy-19. "I don't think we could have ordered a more pleasant day," allowed Wade Bartley, organizer and host of the event. "There was pleasant temperatures, bright sunshine, and not a cloud in the sky!"

 

 

 

 

 

Bartley hosts the annual benefit event to help raise funds for three children's charities, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center, and Southern Christian Home For Children. "We work to help those children who need help!" explained Bartley. "I know the people involved in these organizations and they are giving help to children who need a helping hand from the community. Many of the children they aid are sick, hurt, and abused, so we attempt to give the hand that they need to become whole!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday's event began with a number of "choice" chili cooks from all across Hopkins County "stoking fires" soon after daylight, as they began preparing their best chili recipes for $1000.00 in prizes. They were boiling meat, adding spices, and peeling tomatoes, to get their best effort, ready for lunch. The chili cooks pay an entry fee and provide all of their own ingredients in the contest, and the lunch is sold to the public to raise funds for the charities. Lunch consisted of chili, cheese, pickles, a varieties of Dutch oven cooked cornbreads, and all the crackers you could eat. Then, add drinks and Dutch oven prepared Peach Cobbler, for dessert, with ice cream. "It don't get much better than that!" commented one of the lunch participants. "This is the kind of help I like to lend!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, soon after daybreak, members of the Lake Country Antique Tractor Association began arriving for a Tractor Pull, that saw local tractor enthusiasts bringing their best engineered tractors to compete for prizes. Tractors were classed according to size and model and competed in categories, against the other tractors in their classifications. "We all enjoy getting out and seeing just what our tractors can do, and it was a wonderful day for doing it!" exclaimed Lake Country member and announcer, Gerald Walters, of Pictkon. "And, it's even better when we can help these children, while we're having fun!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the noon meal was consumed, it was time to award the winners in the Chili Cook-Off and they were as follows:

 

Wayne Allen, Beth Adams, and Brylee Brock, are shown accepting the Grand Champion Chili Award
from Jim Wright. All three chili prize winners donated their prize money back to the cause of raising
money for the children's charities.

 

                                                    Grand Champion - Beth Adams and Wayne Allen, Sponsored by Hopkins County Law Enforcement Association

 

 

Phil Hallman is awarded Reserve Champion Chili Cook, by Jim Wright.

 

 

                                                     Reserve Champion - Phil Hallman, Sponsored by Lake Country Antique Tractor Association

 

Ann Pack and Robert Cash were awarded third prize in the Chili Cook-Off.

 

                                                     Third Place Award was Robert Cash and Ann Pack, Sponsored by Commerce Brookshires and Cumby Telephone.

                                                      Honorable Mention Awards were given to:

                                                                 Paul and Barbara Stewart
                                                                 Dusty McIllwain

                                                                 Johnny and Becke Anderson

                                                                 Bill Holder and Tommy Anderson

                                                                 Gary and Ruthie Mayers

                                                                 Blake Sheffield

                                                                 Katherine & Mark Boobar and John Mark McAfee

                                                                 Katie Patterson and Linda Henton

                                                                 Jace Anglin and Lewis Tatum

 

 

 

 

 

Following the naming of the chili contest winners, an auction was held, where a number of items donated by local businesses were auctioned to raise additional funds for the charities.

 

Wade Bartley and his wife, Jan, served as the auctioneer and clerk for Saturday's event.

 

 

 

"It was certainly a great day!" exclaimed Bartley. "We raised money for some needy children and enjoyed a wonderful day of fun with family and friends. You don't get much better than that!"

 

 

 

 

 

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