My husband and I visited the Central Maryland Antique Tractor Club gas engine and tractor show at Gladhill Tractor one weekend this past June. We try to attend this celebration of agriculture every year, and it wasn’t until this year I realized I didn’t know much about the people who plan and organize this event. The Central Maryland Antique Tractor Club (CMATC) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1977. From their website, their members have a “desire to promote the restoration, preservation, and use of antique tractors and machinery in activities which are educational in nature and the sport of tractor pulling, and improving the standard of community through providing education, interest and general participation in these activities.”
That’s a tall order! The good thing is that their members carry it out each year in the form of shows and pulls open to the public for us to enjoy. Some of the shows — such as this one — also include a farm equipment auction and flea market. Proceeds from the club’s events are given to local 4H clubs and FFA. They also give annual scholarships, restoration awards, and awards for the most sportsman-like puller, or, as they say “the overall good guy or girl.” Don’t know anything about tractor pulling? Here’s a little “Tractor Pulling 101” from the National Tractor Pullers Association website. CMATC has this main show every year in June near Jefferson, Maryland. They also have a presence at a variety of shows and pulls in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia throughout the year.
You can find their schedule here. You can also visit them at their Facebook page.
Enjoy these photos from the show!
