Current Conditions
26°F - SUNNY
The 10 strapping men wore matching navy-blue shirts, dark pants and black rubber boots with bright-yellow toe-tips.
And when the buzzer signaled the start of the war, they worked as one.
First, each man took a half step back with his right foot, then his left. Right, left, right, left — all in unison until they'd dragged their opponents the required 10 feet to win the match.
The Farmersville Fire Company team leaned back hard in Intercourse's first match of the night. But their feet slid across the blacktop as Intercourse finished them off in 32 seconds.
In the next round, at the buzzer, White Horse Fire Company's team gave a violent tug that stood the Intercourse team straight up for a split second. But then Intercourse settled in and hauled White Horse across the line in 13.4 seconds.
Intercourse went 2-0 Thursday night at the New Holland Farmer's Fair's 44th annual firefighters' tug of war. They are the defending champs, and they hope to win a second-straight title in the final round of competition Saturday night. Tugging begins at 8 p.m. at the east end of Franklin Street.
This year's title could be a sweet one for whoever wins it, because it might be the last, according to competition chairman Jim Dissinger.
"We had eight teams this year, and that's as low as we can go," he said. "If we can't get eight, then we won't do it."I sent out 38 letters to fire chiefs asking for teams, and I only got eight responses. Fire companies just have different things to do."
Dissinger remembers the years when fire companies were turned away because the competition had a full slate of 16 teams.
"It used to be, if you didn't pull the year before, you couldn't compete unless a team gave up their spot," said master of ceremonies Jeff Barrage.
Those days are passing, Dissinger said.
"We have gas problems," he said. "We have food problems. We have money problems. It's a different time than it was. But we're still here."
Dissinger said he plans to appeal to the Lancaster County Fire Chiefs Association before next year's fair to try to rekindle interest in New Holland's tug of war.
"When I think tug of war, I think New Holland Fair," Barrage said. "We're the best. We give away the most money. This is the one you want to win."
On Saturday night, $600 will be awarded to the top team, $500 to the second-place finisher, $400 for third and $300 for fourth. The other four teams that competed each will receive $50.
(12) (11) (9) (8) (3) (2)Though the White Horse team lost to Intercourse, it will pull again Saturday night, since it has a 1-1 record and the tournament rules require two losses for a team to be ousted.
John Petersheim has been with White Horse for 15 years, first as a puller and now as its coach.
In the company's first match against Churchtown Fire Company, Petersheim walked up and down the line and urged the team on with shouts of "Pull! Pull!"
The team members lugged Churchtown over the line in 1.3 seconds.
"Experience is a big help," Petersheim said. "And you have to have strong hands and strong legs."
Dissinger has seen each of the past 43 competitions in New Holland. And he can tell by looking in the eyes of the members of a team who's going to win.
"I've seen young people come in here and win," he said. "I've seen them come in and take down teams much bigger than them."
On Thursday night, the members of the Intercourse machine had the look of a team that couldn't be beat.
"It's how they stand and how they pull, but mostly, it's up here," Dissinger said, pointing to his head. "It's the mental attitude."
E-mail: preilly@lnpnews.com
