For those attending the National Farm Toy Show in Dyersville, Iowa, in 2018, it was almost like getting a preview of the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) tractor pull. Andy Willis from Oakland City, Ind., created a replica of the tractor pull in his farm layout. Andy built 1/64-scale toys on a 12-by-8-foot sheet. He explained just exactly what his layout represented: “What you see is Freedom Hall stadium filled with 4,500 people watching the NFMS Championship Tractor Pull, and a Broadbent Arena where all pullers park their pulling tractor or truck for the pit show.” It took him three years to complete this exciting layout, and he said creating the pulling tractors was the hardest part of it. He has exhibited at farm shows in his home state, in Lafayette and Indianapolis, as well as Evansville and Jasper. At the shows, “I have gained a lot of experience and made a lot good friends, besides just showing off my displays. “In the last six years I have been to Indianapolis, the second-largest farm toy show, to show off my display. I had made 10 different displays in the last 12 years” – most being versions of his pulling layout. Andy’s goal has been to show this layout and hear people’s reactions to it. He also wants to hear them share their favorite memories about the pull. While he didn’t place at the National Farm Toy Show, he said, “In 2015, I received second place at the Lafayette farm toy show with my NFMS Championship Tractor Pull Display.” Like many, Andy got involved with the hobby by playing with farm toys, and through a friend. “I grew up around our friend Larry and Brenda Stoffel's farm in Mackey, Indiana. I learned a lot from the Stoffel family and continued helping them with farming and excavation as I got older.” Besides that experience, he also started watching friend Josh Miley from Francisco, Ind., pull his Super Farm Pulling Tractor named High Maintenan$e. “I watched it at a few local tractor pulls and at the NFMS. Then I started collecting farms and pulling tractors. Then I started making displays.” To get the details right, he explained, “I started looking around and taking pictures, then drew out ideas along with a list of what you need and how to make both stadiums (the Louisville arenas).” They are both hand-built out of basswood and balsawood. Andy’s favorite aspect of the display is his own High Maintenan$e pulling tractor pulling down the track into a sand pile in front of the crown in the mini Freedom Hall. While he created both arenas with lights and the indoor smoke exhaust system on the sled and exhaust pipes on the pullers, he tips his hat to Chris Burnett from Burnett Farm, who customized most of the pulling tractors. Too, “a few diesel pulling trucks are customs made by Jeff Moore.” When not building, Andy is busy at his job as a maintenance worker at a high school and he still also helps with farming and excavating at the Stoffels’ farm. It was fun to see this display and anticipate the upcoming pulls at next month’s NFMS in Louisville, Ky. For details of Andy’s work, check out his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AwillisPullingDisplays Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication. Learn more of Cindy’s finds and travel in her blog, “Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl,” at http://travelingadventuresofafarmgirl.com |
