Several hundred people attended the Ontario Truck and Tractor Pulling Association’s (OTTPA) annual Paris Super Pull event at the Paris Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
Founded in the 1970s, the OTTPA organizes a series of competitive truck and tractor pulling events across the province.
“We’re probably the longest stand pulling organization in Ontario,” said Mike Stover, Track Official and OTTPA treasurer. “We started back in the 70s and we now have about 15 different classes and around 120 different members. We run about 35 events over the course of the summer, starting from the first of June, to Thanksgiving so we’re certainly one of the largest truck and tractor pulling organizations in Canada.”
This year, dozens of contestants participated in one or more of the 13 classes throughout the evening, including:
- Modified Vintage 5,750 Lbs – Winner: Tim Anderson
- Modified Farm 7,000 Lbs – Winner: Justin Livingston
- Super Street Diesel – Winner: Will Collette
- Super Stock 4×4 – Winner: Trevor Cox
- Modified Farm 8,000 Lbs – Winner: Gary Sanderson
- Single Engine Modified – Winner: Mark Copithorn (grounds)
- Light Pro Stock 7,500 Lbs – Winner: Alex Johnson
- Mini Modified – Winner: Jason Combdon
- Modified Farm 10,500 Lbs – Winner: Mike Windrem
- Pro Street Diesel 3.0 – Winner: Not Listed
- Pro Modified Diesel 3.6 – Winner: Rob Bonus
- Heavy Pro Stock 9,000 Lbs – Winner: Henk Dirksen
- Multi-Engine – Winner: Tom LaRue
“We have quite a variety of vehicles here today, as well as most of our classes,” said Stover. “The Paris Agricultural Society also has a beer garden, as well as different games, and food vendors set up behind the stands as well.”
Throughout the event, spectators cheered on their favourite vehicles and drivers as they tried to pull the roughly 32,000 pound “Executioner” sled the farthest distance possible.
“The sled weighs about 32,000 pounds totally empty, but blocks are added as we move up in classes and so each of those adds about 2,000 pounds,” Stover explained. “Once we get to the highest class, Multi-Engine, there will be well over 40,000 pounds being pulled.”
Attendees were especially loud when the various tractors or trucks produced plumes of black smoke or if the front end of the vehicle lifted in the air.
Stover said part of the reason people enjoy participating in and watching a pulling event is the competition aspect.
“For the most part, it’s a friendly competition. I’m a part-time competitor in the Single Engine Modified class and all the guys are great. They all get along and they help one another to make sure you get down the track versus hoping that something breaks and you don’t. They’re all very competitive but their great people and most of the classes are exactly like that. But beyond that, it’s just a chance to have fun with people that have similar interests as you…it’s not just about the money. And the spectators, they like coming to see who can win but they also like the noise and dirt and smoke… the more the better.”
The track official went on to say he and the rest of the OTTPA team were glad to be back at Paris Fairgrounds.
“It’s always great to come back to a place that supports us year after year, so we’re happy to be back,” said Stover. “It’s a beautiful day weather wise too. It’s warm but there’s a bit of a breeze so it’s perfect.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
