YORKVILLE, Ill. — Kendall County Farm Bureau Young Leaders have two tractors – and a sled and a pre-marked field on which young drivers can compete in pedal tractor pulls.

Hosting a pedal pull for the first time during last year’s Kendall County Fair, four of the Young Leaders hosted a pull during Somonauk’s Summer Fest on July 27 in cooperation with the Somonauk Education Foundation. The pulls were just one small part of a weekend festival in the Illinois community park.

“This was the first time they worked with another organization,” said Kendall County Farm Bureau Manager Dan Reedy.

He said two tractors were donated by W.G. Leffelman & Sons, Inc. in Amboy and Stoller IH in Ottawa. The sled was made by Young Leader Matt Anzelc with the help of his father, Tom, who is a welder by trade.

“They built it all themselves with a pattern made from a sled borrowed from Will County. (Will County Young Leaders) have been doing pulls for years. They go to a lot of communities in their county,” Reedy explained.

He said they had the whole rig ready for the fair and “the kids really seemed to enjoy it.”

The same can be said of the children in Somonauk – 45 entered the pulls run by Young Leaders Anzelc, Kurt Schobert, Mike Brummel and Jim Hopkins. Reedy said they run five weight classes, from 30-80 pounds.

“Any kids bigger are just a little too big for the tractors we have,” he added.

Although he believes Kendall County is a bit far north to send pullers to the state fair in Springfield, Reedy said there is a sanctioned pull during the fair. According to the Illinois State Fair website, that pull was to take place yesterday (Aug. 13).