For area pedal-tractor pullers, Friday, July 31 marked the last chance they had in the area to qualify for the upcoming Missouri State Pedal Pull Championships scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 23 during the final day of the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.

Staying dry under the pavilion between the horseshoe pits and the grandstand on the upper portion of Memorial Park, children ranging in age from three to 12 pulled for participation ribbons, trophies and chances to qualify for the state pull later this month.

Pulling for fun and trophies, three-year-olds that made up the top three included Luke Schneider, Matthew Jahnsen and Liam Jacquin.

Among nine four-year-old pullers, Mazely Cramer claimed the top spot overall and for the girls with a distance of 42 feet, four inches. Gus Grellner led the boys and was second overall with a pull of 37-8 while Daniel Rohlfing was third overall posting a distance of 31-10.

Joining those three at state among four-year-olds were Bevyn Panhorst and Josie Orscheln along with Jase Melton.

Joe Orscheln led the five-year-old pullers with a distance of 38-11 followed closely by Danny Jahnsen and Nelly Ulhorn.

Also earning a trip to state for being among the top three boys and girls in the five-year-old division were Jesse Licklider, Zelie Schneider and Willow Glober.

Six-year-old pullers were paced by Body Schneider with a distance of 48-4 followed by Aubert Jahnsen (35-10) and Boone Schleuter (31-5).

Cecelia Jahnsen also qualified for state as the lone six-year-old girl competing.

Two pulls were needed to decide the winner of the seven-year-old division.

Lucy Schneider and Chase Haberly both registered full pulls in their first pass with Haberly making another full pull to top the division. Schneider was second posting another distance of 48-4 in the pull off.

Gracie Smith made it two girls in the top three placing third overall with a distance of 47 feet even.

Levi May and Johnny Shields also placed among the top-three boys in the seven-year-old division to advance to state.

Eight-year-old action saw three contestants post full pulls in round one forcing a pull off.

Clayton Savoir, Brayden Blaue and Kade Koelling each had full pulls in their first pass with Blaue and Koelling recording a second full pull.

Koelling posted a third pull of 15-2 to place first ahead of Blaue’s third mark of 13-6 while Savoir took third place with a distance of 34-3 after his full pull.

Jentry Ulhorn and Joleen Pohlmann also qualified for state in Sedalia as the only two girls competing in the eight-year-old division.

Drake Schlottach added another first-place trophy to his growing collection winning the nine-year-old division with a pull of 38-2 holding off John Bohl’s second-place distance of 36-5.

Lucas Hart also posted a pull of 31-4 to place third.

In a mixed field of 10-year-old boys and girls, Logyn Ulhorn placed first overall and among four girls with a full pull followed by a distance of 48-6 from Lane Johnson for second place and Delmar Warner’s third-place pull of 21-6.

Abram Jahnsen, Ruth Schneider and Laurel Voss also finished among the top three boys and girls in the 10-year-old division.

Harper Jacquin and Brooklyn Blaue both posted full pulls in round one of the 11-year-old division before Blaue’s second distance of 37 feet even gave her first place.

Jacquin placed second with her additional pull of 20-1.

Jacob Licklider placed third overall with a pull of 41-1 while Colton Scego’s pull of 11-10 earned him a trip to Sedalia.

Going out on top, Jase Greunke won his final pedal tractor pull with a pair of full pulls in the 12-year-old division finishing ahead of Bryli Blaue and Edmund Jahnsen.

Greunke will turn 13 before the state pull in Sedalia but Blaue and Jahnsen have the option of competing at the state fair.