From NTPA: The Langford-New Oregon Volunteer Fire Company, promoter of the Northeast Nationals in Langford, New York, has informed the National Tractor Pullers Association that it has cancelled the 2021 edition of the Grand National event.
The pull had been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 31-August 1 and was to have included Grand National Two-Wheel-Drive Trucks and Light Unlimited Modifieds as well as Regional National Light Pro Stock Tractors. The NTPA portion of the program will not be rescheduled in 2021. Tentative dates for the 2022 NTPA event are August 6-7.
At the time they notified the NTPA, the pull's organizers indicated that they may proceed with state-level and unsanctioned classes. Visit the event's website,
DownHomeCountryWeekend.com, for further details.
Promoters cited attendance restrictions imposed by the State of New York and by local health authorities in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as the reason for the event's contraction. The state’s most recent orders allowed only 33 percent of outdoor facility capacity to be occupied as of May 19.
"It's an unfortunate situation, since so much of the country has opened back up for business and for sports and entertainment," said Gregg Randall, the NTPA's Executive Director. "New York has remained a little bit behind that curve by not allowing full grandstands. Sadly, that policy has cost our fans and competitors another running of a historic pull."
Previously known as the New York Championship Pull, Langford is widely recognized as the oldest annually-conducted tractor pull in the United States, having been contested each year since 1946 until its first pandemic-induced interruption in 2020.
Resultant from the Langford cancellation, the year-end point and divisional fund amounts for the two GN divisions will each be reduced. Moreover, the East and West subregions that defined the two Light Pro Stock championships and the divisional conferences that determine the LT PS' 2021's Enderle Pull-Off berths have been rebalanced to reflect the loss of the two easternmost hooks on their schedule. Competitors and fans are invited to heck the Grand National, Region II, and RN Enderle Standings pages to make note of these revisions.
The following is the Langford-New Oregon Volunteer Fire Company's release to Facebook of Saturday, June 12.
Event Update: The LNOVFD has submitted a plan to the Erie County Dept. of Health for a 2021 Tractor Pull. Due to the current restrictions in place the attendance will be restricted to the point that we had to make significant alterations to our plans for the weekend. Unfortunately we cannot financially afford to sanction with the NTPA this year. Without the NTPA we have decided that Saturday July 31st, we would hold a “75th Anniversary” Celebration - Tractor Show and Stock Tractor Pull (4 -5 Classes) for a $10.00 Admission.
Sunday’s we will be back with a full day of Pulling action Sanctioned by Full Pull Productions and the Outlaw Pulling Series. The fun will start at Noon and Admission will be $20.00.
We hope to have some answers this week from ECDOH and will keep our loyal fans updated. We are committed [to] making something happen in a reasonable manner. Your patience and understanding is appreciated as this is unchartered territory for us all.
