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In 2015, when he was only four, Ryder competed in his
first pedal pull at the Logan County Fair. His mother Janna Conrady
said, “that same year, we were at the Indiana State Fair at a hog
show and there was a tractor pull going on. Ryder competed in it,
placing first and was able to go on to the next round in Lawrence,
Michigan, Labor Day Weekend.”
When Ryder competed in the pull in Michigan, he again
won first. His family then told the next level was Nationals, which
would be the third weekend of September at the Corn Palace in
Mitchell, SD.
At the time, Janna said, “Brett and I laughed it off and then were
talked into this possible once in a lifetime opportunity - not
knowing that he would qualify then again every year until he was 12
(minus the year COVID shut everything down).”
After that first year, Ryder found a love for pedal
pulls and the family started following Paul Callan/Tot-Rod Pedal
Pulls out of Assumption, Illinois. Ryder and his family followed
them all around the state of Illinois.
Over the years Ryder and his family went to Sullivan for the St.
Jude Dash n Bash, Cerro Gordo for the Piatt County Fair, Stonington
for their Summerfest, the Beecher City Cornfest, Bethany for their
town celebration, Casey Popcorn Festival and Laura for the Small
Town Tractor Pull. They have also been to many more places and have
enjoyed visiting all the towns and their festivals each year since
2016.
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Ryder has won 75 trophies over the years with most
being first place trophies. He has competed in five different states
including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and South Dakota.
Janna said Ryder has participated in the National
Pedal Pull eight times. His rankings at the national level include:
2015 - fourth place (age four)
2016 - second place (age five)
2017 - top ten (age six)
2018 - National Champion
2019 – second place (age eight)
2021 - third place (age ten)
2022 - second place (age eleven)
2023 - top ten
Each pedal tractor and sled are geared a bit different, but the most
weight Ryder has pulled was 950 pounds.
Ryder is definitely sad about his kiddie tractor pull
days ending, but he is hoping to compete in a couple of teen pulls
if time allows. At that level, the type of tractor varies from just
a regular pedal tractor to a modified pedal tractor.
Currently, Janna said Ryder’s schedule is definitely getting busier
with practices. He has games and practices almost year round playing
travel baseball, football and basketball.
Hopefully, the tractor pull circuit will see more of Ryder Conrady
and his amazing pulling ability.
[Angela Reiners with photos provided by
Janna Conrady] |
