The feathers flew at the 2022 Fennell Forestry Truck Pull Challenge at the Mount Gambier showgrounds on Saturday with the Fox’s Chook House team claiming the title.
Five local teams from the Barry Maney Group, Tough Fit, Fox’s Chook House, Onetrak and Tabeel Trading lined up to compete after a two year break due to COVID-19.
The teams competed in the preliminary truck pulls with some great times set, but it came down to Fox’s Chook House and Tough Fit in the final.
Both teams got the trucks rolling early and competition was close until the halfway mark when the Fox’s Chook House team pulled away, setting a bitumen burning time of 45.8 seconds to take the challenge win.
Organiser Wendy Fennell was pleased with the event, which was held in great weather conditions and raised almost $21,000 for Variety SA – the children’s charity, with donations still being accepted via www.savarietybash.com.au/donate and searching “Car 140 – Jelly Beans”.
Along with the truck pull teams, Adelaide strongman Jordan “Biggie” Steffens and strongwoman Brooke Prichard were also on hand to show their strength.
“There are huge expectations on myself and I tell you a funny thing, 2019 was the last time I pulled a heavy truck,” said Steffens
“Since then, I have had two bicep re-attachments and a mini quad tear, so I have had a few injuries.
‘So, this is going to be the first time back pulling a truck this heavy and I am pumped, I am psyched.
“I have a rather good partner in crime with me, she is going to give me a kick in the rear end to make sure I do the right thing and go as hard as I can.
Along with Steffens, Prichard also attempted a 17 and a half tone truck pull for the first time and with the current world record sitting at just over 11 tons, Prichard said she could feel the weight on her shoulders.
“I cannot wait and the current record is just over 11 Tonnes, so we will see what we can do and hopefully the truck moves,” Prichard said.
Talking at the event, Steffens said Prichard ‘had more support’ than he did during the challenges.
“I think these guys have seen me enough times and just go ‘Biggie will be right’ and I think with Brooke coming down here and being new … it is cool for the crowd.
“It is cool for the crowd to see something that is an (unofficial) world record and hopefully we can make it a realistic attempt for 2023.
A part of this annual event is raising money for variety and the bean machine is a great cause for disadvantaged children.
“Supporting a great cause and seeing the kids’ faces to enjoy helping families out,” Steffens said.
Brooke was ready to go and with the crowd cheering her on made a slow but steady start and got the truck rolling and it was a walk in the park completing a pull of 17 and a half ton.
For Steffens he was a bit nervous on harnessing up and started to focus on the job at hand and was a relieved person after the muscle pulling attempt and got the 25 and half ton truck and trailers over the line to excite the crowd.
