Antique and modified trucks and tractors roared into action, billowing thick smoke out of their stack pipes, as the inaugural Gardenton Truck and Tractor Pull revved into gear last weekend at the Gardenton Museum and Park. Founded by Tolstoi resident Jake Wiebe, the two-day competition brought high-powered motorsport excitement to the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn. While the event showcased intense pulling action and drew nearly 1,000 spectators to the grounds, its true core was defined by a deeply personal cause: a heartfelt tribute from the Wiebe family to their late son, brother, and husband, Gerald Wiebe, who passed away suddenly earlier this year.

Track Preparation, National Competitors, and High-Octane Pulls

The vision for bringing a truck and tractor pull to the region began a year ago for Jake Wiebe. A tractor puller with five years of experience who operates his own construction company, Wiebe originally sought to hold the competition in his hometown. When that was not possible, he approached the Gardenton Museum to ask if he could utilize their facilities. Expressing deep gratitude for the park grounds and facilities, Wiebe took on the preparation work himself. He mowed the exhibition grounds, removed the topsoil, laid down clay for the track, and established key safety measures for the weekend. Local and regional businesses across Steinbach, Grunthal, Altona, and Gardenton stepped up with sponsorships to assist with the grounds and required equipment.

The sport of truck and tractor pulling tests both machine power and driver skill. Competitors drag a heavily weighted skid across a designated track aiming for a distance of 300 feet or more within a 30-second time limit. The skid starts at a weight of 2,000 pounds and increases up to 25,000 pounds as the competition progresses. Victory goes to the driver who pulls the weighted skid the farthest and fastest. Having pulled in competitions across Canada and the United States over the last five years, Wiebe drew on his network of contacts to bring drivers from as far away as Alberta, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Tennessee to test their rigs against Manitoba racers.

Across Friday and Saturday, a total of 32 ‘hooks’ or vehicle runs were made on the Gardenton track. Wiebe personally provided cash prizes to drivers as an incentive for them to return next August, emphasizing that he took no personal profit from the event. He noted that everything was donated back to the pullers because he wants competitors to be happy and to return every year for a bigger and better event.

Among the featured runs was Wiebe himself driving his modified Ford F-250, nicknamed ‘Clutches.’ Wiebe delivered one of the longest pulls of the evening, reaching 369.66 feet. He described the adrenaline rush inside the cab as unexplainable, chuckling that some people think he must be crazy to do it. His cousin, Barry Wiebe of Morden, competed in a modified Ford nicknamed ‘The Hunter,’ featuring a Boss motor with a supercharger producing 2,800 horsepower. Barry achieved a pull of 353.28 feet at 20.5 mph. Barry shared that he feels incredibly nervous before stepping into the truck during a pull, calling it ‘the worst feeling,’ but noted that the nervousness disappears once he starts driving and focuses on pleasing the crowd. The weekend featured impressive mechanical builds, including spectator trucks producing up to 3,000 horsepower.

A Heartfelt Family Tribute to Gerald Wiebe

While horsepower and speed thrilled the crowd, the primary motivation behind the event was the Wiebe family’s tribute to Gerald Wiebe, who died suddenly on Jan. 3, just days before his 31st birthday, from an undiagnosed heart condition. Jake pulled in memory of his late son, reflecting that Gerald would be extremely proud and that hosting such a pull would have been one of his dreams.

Gerald was a dedicated supporter of his father’s pulling career, attending all of Jake’s events and owning his own pull truck, nicknamed ‘Grandpa’s Old Beater.’ During the Gardenton competition, one of Gerald’s brothers took the wheel of ‘Grandpa’s Old Beater’ to drive it on the track. Jake’s wife, Marge Wiebe, warmly remembered her son as compassionate, kind, and someone who would give the shirt off his back for anybody. She shared a heartfelt message with the crowd, encouraging everyone to keep their loved ones close and spend as much time with them as possible because no one knows when it will be their last day.

Gerald’s wife, Rebekah, also participated in the competition to honor his memory, driving her truck, ‘Gerald’s Keeper,’ to a pull distance of 189.53 feet. Longtime family friend Jacob Reimer, who attended with his wife Helena and daughter Ariella, commended the tribute, sharing that it was great to see Gerald’s memory portrayed on the track in such an honorable way.

Strong Community Turnout and Fan Experience

The event drew widespread enthusiasm, bringing almost 1,000 spectators to the Gardenton grounds across Friday and Saturday. Jake expressed surprise and delight at the turnout, calling it phenomenal. Having initially anticipated an audience of 50 to 100 people, he was amazed to see the grandstands and grounds filled with crowds enjoying the noise, engine power, and custom vehicle modifications.

For many in attendance, the event provided a standout entertainment experience. Jacob Reimer noted that it was his first time attending a pull with his family and called it the best pull he had ever attended, adding that he would love to return every single year. His wife, Helena Reimer, described the atmosphere as high energy and a blast.

Reporting based on The Carillon.

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