Apple Hill – Glen and Lynda Finbow of Split Rock Farms Alpacas in South Glengarry recently restored and rebuilt a hand-made, custom Mini Modified Pulling tractor with twin Rotax 670 snowmobile engines built in 1997 to 2000. The original builder, Shorty Milinkovich from Vankleek Hill, recently passed away and did not get to see his masterpiece run again after almost 15 years.
The tractor was finished on Thursday afternoon and on Saturday morning they were off!
The team travelled from Apple Hill to Aberfoyle, Ontario, where Stone Boat Pullers had an event at the Aberfoyle Fall Fair. Their 15-year-old driver, Jaden Magill, had never driven a pulling tractor and this was his first pull on clay at the controls. His first trip down the track was a full pull at 322.9 feet getting him 3rd place out of 10 competitors. He was just shy of the first-place distance of 325 feet.
The second half of the weekend took place Sunday morning at the Georgetown Fair. Magill’s first pull was in the 1350lbs. class. He proceeded to pull over 288.6 feet for a 1st place finish. His second pull of the day was in the Open Modified class where he took the sled 296.4 feet for a 2nd place finish.
“This 15-year-old amazed us at how he fit right in with a group of experienced pulling enthusiasts doing this for the last 10 to 20 years. He has already been nicknamed FEARLESS,” said Glen Finbow proudly.
Jaden has been working for the Finbow family since September 2021, just after they moved to their new farm in Apple Hill. In May, the couple had the opportunity to purchase the mini modified pulling tractor, and Jaden agreed to work on it and drive it. His father, Bob Magill, is the team’s crew chief and his younger brother Dustin is also part of the crew.
