Down on Lucy Little Road, the Paskamanset Beagle Club has opened its property to some visitors hosting a friendly competition of tractor pulling.

On Sunday morning, Dec. 1, the Paskamanset Slab Tractor Pullers hosted its second and final competition since a new slab was installed for their pulling at the club. 

Dan Deterra, president of the Paskamanset Beagle Club, said he was contacted by the group looking for a place to host their competitions and they had the space. 

In the kitchen, club members whipped up warm breakfast and beverages to assist its hosts in the cold weather. 

“They had a really good turnout and it’s great to see the kids having a really good time,” Deterra said.

Sam Tripp, one of the organizers for Paskamanset Slab Pullers, said the group was inspired by the Westport Fairs and wanted to host their own competitions. Fundraising online, a number of community members donated money, materials and their time in order to make it a reality.

“It was a great community effort,” Tripp said. “People were very generous. They offered more than what we needed and people were willing to help and come out.”

She said she loves hosting the competition because she likes seeing how much fun the kids have. She pointed out one of the younger kids at the competition and highlighted, “Even if he doesn’t win, he’s just so excited for the whole process.”

Competitors were tasked with pulling a large tractor in addition to weight that is added in 200 pound increments. The tractors have to pull it 10 feet each time. Tripp said at the last competition, tractors were pulling up to approximately 3,500 pounds.

Though this was the last competition of the year, she said the goal is to host a banquet around February or March, where top point earners will win a prize, and start monthly competitions back up in April.

Khloe Costa, 9, pulled with the under 12 age group — taking second place. The competition has three age categories, including kids under 12, ages 13 to 18 and people 18 and over.

Atop a big tractor named “Black Beauty” in sparkly purple letters, Costa said she has a lot of fun doing the competitions.

“I like to do it with my friends and family,” she said. “It’s been a tradition because my dad did it and it passed onto me, so I’m happy to keep it going.”

In regard to her tractor, she said, “We were going to paint it purple, blue and black, but then we painted it black and I’m like, ‘Why don’t we name it Black Beauty,’ and then we put the name purple because my favorite color is purple.”

Mason Greenwood, 12, said he’s been pulling for the last nine years. And although he doesn’t have a name for his tractor, it’s the same one he’s been using all along.

He noted how it hasn’t needed much work on it either. Greenwood said his dad got him interested in the competitions and though he doesn’t like waking up early for them, he has a lot of fun doing it.

He added his favorite part is “being able to pull the heaviest weight.”

Morgan Tripp-Isidore, 12, said she’s been pulling since she was around 2 or 3 years old, having gone to the Westport Fair with her parents. 

She said she enjoys beating people who put a lot of money into their tractors, but still can’t seem to handle the weight.

Tripp-Isidore added she got her tractor from her great uncle about three years ago and fixed it up.

“It runs really good and it’s a good tractor, but the seat’s really uncomfortable,” she said.

In regard to the competitions, Tripp-Isidore said, “It’s fun and everyone’s really nice.”