CUBA CITY—From the time he was able to drive himself to pulling events, Brian Mueller has been helping out at local truck and tractor pulls. His interest in the events grew with time and he now organizes the Friday night pulling event at the Cuba City Power Pull.
“I’ve been involved in pulling ever since I was a little kid, as we were showing cattle and were at every county fair possible,” Mueller said. “Throughout the years I became friends with people who were involved with it.”
With his driver’s license, Mueller was free to help with track work at Platteville, Cuba City, Potosi and other Grant County pulling events.
“Ron Kaiser was running this one in Cuba City up until I started,” Mueller said. “I was approached by the fair board, at the time it was Mary Ellen Birkett and some of the other community members. They asked if I would be interested in stepping in to try helping. I’m from the Louisburg area, so this is local for me. Over the years I’ve been trying to make it bigger and better, trying something different for the community.”
Last year’s Friday night even featured 122 machines, the largest number of participants Mueller has had since taking over organizing the pull approximately seven years ago.
“It was a phenominal crowd,” Mueller said. “It was probably the biggest crowd I’ve ever pulled in.”
His first year featured just 69 machines. He remembers getting rained out twice in one of his first years organizing the event. The first date in June was rained out, and so was the rain date in August.
“The community has been supportive and offered a lot of help,” Mueller said. “All of the business sponsors are awesome. It’s been great working with the Brogleys doing this event.”
Mueller has worked closely with Steve and Tammy Brogley to coordinate the Friday night pulls. He continues to participate in the event, pulling two John Deere tractors. Mueller said he bleeds green.
“It’s something I’m passionate about,” Mueller said.
He also helps “wrench” for a couple of other guys and continues to show cows.
“I have a lot to do,” Mueller said. “I walk into events around here anymore and I’ve got a job somewhere. That’s part of the PR for being able to do this type of event. One of my mentors, Dale Rupp, gave me some words of wisdom for why I should take over the pull in town. By then I had been pulling for quite a few years already and going to quite a few places.
He made the comment ‘you know you like going to these pulls everywhere else, it’s about time you put the one on here so people can come see you and see your community as well.’ That sunk in for me. It makes sense.”
He said he travels all over, up to Hillsboro and down to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for tractor pulls.
“It makes sense to bring people into our community and put something on for them here,” Mueller said. “If they didn’t put something on, I wouldn’t be able to go there to pull.”
Mueller said the organization of the event is year-round. He talks to people to see what they thought worked, what they want changed.
“It helps that there is a group of us that works together between different fairs in Platteville, Potosi, Lancaster, Darlington, Mineral Point and Cuba City, this southwest corner of the state,” Mueller said. “We work together really well, so we keep things uniform and everybody gets along.”
He said getting the word out is the biggest task. He makes sure other pullers know they can participate.
Over the years, Mueller said it’s gotten easier. Asking for business support has gotten easier because they understand what he can offer them for advertising and what the event brings to the community.
“Truth be told, I miss the carnival and the fireworks, but it’s beyond my reach for right now,” Mueller said.
Mueller said the food and beverage vendors are a huge part of the success of the event. He said they practically organize themselves.
“I have my hands full just trying to organize everything on the track,” Mueller said.
Mueller said Gary Loeffelholz has been a big help with the Cuba City event. He and Dale Rupp got Mueller to promote the Cuba City Friday night pulling event.
“Gary [Loeffelholz] helps me in Cuba City and I help him in Platteville because he’s in charge of the Dairy Days pull,” Mueller said.
Mueller grew up on his family’s farm on Co. Z near Louisburg.
“It’s a great place to grow up, a great place to be,” Mueller said. “It’s a great community. I don’t’ desire to go anywhere else. That’s half of the reason why I feel like I need to do my part in the community to contribute. It’s something I’m passionate about, something I’m capable of helping with.”
Mueller is the fourth generation on the Vosberg family farm. He is the son of Jim and the late Joan (Vosberg) Mueller.
“I remember the first year I started up here, she [his mother] didn’t like the weeds that grew out of the packer wheel, so one day she went and pulled all of the weeds out and put a whole bunch of fake flowers in it. She thought it would look better going up and down the track,” Mueller said. “They were always supportive of when I was pulling. Dad still gets a kick out of it. Mom used to always joke with me about putting rhinestones all over the tractor. She had to have sparkles on everything.”
He said without his parents’ continuous support he wouldn’t be as willing to contribute with the event.
If you go...
What: Cuba City Power Pull Weekend
Where: Splinter Park Track, Cuba City
When: Friday, June 17, at 6:30 p.m. Tractor and Diesel Truck Pull and Saturday, June 18, at 7 p.m. Tri-State Truck and Tractor Pullers
Details:
- Admission to each event is $8
- No carry-ins, food and beverages available at the event
- Bring a lawn chair as bleacher seating is limited
- Vendors this year include the Town and Country Kids 4-H Club, Lions Club, Knights of Columbus No. 765 and Cuba City Fire Department.
For more information, go to cubacity.org/truck-tractor-pull.
