History Of The International Pull

    In 1969, the very first International Horse Pull was held, both Lorimer Daniels and Milford Marshall qualified and took their horses to Cumberland, ME. The very first distance pull was held in 1974, this was a five minute distance pull and replaced the six foot heavy load pull that was previously used for the International Pull.

    1976 was the year that the Canadians took top honors. Maurice Reeves was the Canadian Teamster to pull this off. In 1979 Clint Dixon won the distance pull in Bridgewater and the heavy load pull in Cumberland, ME. The distance pull has been won only three times by the Canadians in the past thirty years. The Canadians have won the heavy load pull sixteen times and have won the pull every year since 1984. This pull always takes place on Thursday night of Exhibition week. In the spring of 2001, it was agreed upon between the governing bodies of the South Shore Exhibition and the Cumberland Fair that, commencing in 2001, the five minute distance pull ( the American Way of pulling) would take place each year at the South Shore Exhibition. The fifteen minute Heavy Load Pull ( the Canadian Way of pulling) would be held at the Cumberland County Fair each September. The Americans walked away with the most top prizes , this year, at the Big Ex but turn about is fair play as Billy Daniels, Waterville, Nova Scotia took first place , Ryan Daniels, Berwick , Nova Scotia, was third and Sam Wamboldt of Mt. Pleasant, Lunenburg County, came in fourth in the 2001 pull at the Cumberland County Fair , Cumberland, ME