Family to participate in Linn County tractor pull

Thursday, August 4, 2011
Clem Schlueter, aboard Barn Buddy, rides in a recent tractor pull in Missouri. He and his son and grandson will participate in the tractor pull at the upcoming Linn County Fair. For more information, visit Linn County Fair & Rodeo on Facebook, or www.linncountyfair.org. (Submitted Photo)

To say that tractor pulling is a family affair for Clem Schlueter and his extended family would be an understatement. The 70-year-old Carrolton, Mo., farmer and construction company owner has been "into" pulling tractors for "40 some" years.

Clem, his son Chuck, 45, and grandson Cory, 19, will be hooking three different John Deeres to the pulling sled at the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Association-approved pull at the Linn County Fair Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. Chuck and Cory will compete in the Light Super Stock class with Barn Buddy and Grand River Deere, respectively. Clem will be pulling in the Limited Pro Stock with Grand River Deere Too.

Grandfather Clem is a five-time OTTPA Champion with the Grand River Deere (four) and the Grand River Deere Too (one).

Chuck was a year-end champion with the Barn Buddy in 2009 and ranked second last year.

The Schlueters are all "a ways down" in the current OTTPA standings in their respective classes, in part because of the flooding in Missouri.

The family farms approximately 5,000 acres of corn and beans in the Carrolton and Triplett, Mo., area.

"We lost 900 acres of corn when a levy failed near the junction of the Grand River and the Missouri," said Chuck. "The rest of our bottom ground is behind two different levees that probably will hold. But the dikes must be patrolled daily on four-wheelers to watch for leaks caused by groundhogs and other varmints and also to repair seep holes from the pressure of the high water. Each farm family is responsible for patrolling a certain section of the levy system."

With their levy problems somewhat stabilized, the tractor pulling family has recently been able to attend more events. At a recent Montgomery City, Mo., OTTPA Pull, the Barn Buddy and Grand River Deere were first and second in the Light Super Stock class and Grand River Too won fourth in the Limited Pro Stock. "We had 18 family members show up at Montgomery City to either help or cheer us on," Chuck Schlueter said.