By Matt Fredmonsky
Record-Courier staff writer
GARRETTSVILLE " For nearly an hour, tractors of all sizes paraded through the village's historic downtown Saturday afternoon during this weekend's SummerFest.
From about 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. the low, steady drone of idling diesel engines rumbled along Freedom Street from James A. Garfield High School.
It was an endless line comprised of McCormick Farmalls, Massey Fergusons, Fords, New Hollands, Allis Chalmers, Kubotas, Cases, Internationals, Cub Cadets, Hesstons and even one David Brown Selectamatic.
A massive eight-wheel John Deere rolled through town puffing black diesel smoke and encouraging those sitting along the route to pull in their feet.
Some machines looked brand new. Others showed their age through years of toil in the soil.
People in the crowd of hundreds lining the street attempted the seemingly impossible task of trying to count all the tractors as they kept appearing just over the hill.
"It's 112, give or take," one man said.
"I had 124," a man next to him said.
In the end, it wasn't a record.
Summerfest organizers had been hopeful to beat the existing world record of 244 tractors for the largest tractor parade. Many of the lumbering machine's drivers guessed 200 entries at most.
Mantua resident Shawn Haylett had parked his tractor downtown after he completed the parade route and watched the remaining tractors file through town. Haylett watched from atop his grandfather's 1952 lightly restored Ford 8N.
"I use it everyday almost," Haylett said. "It's a full working tractor."
As for the parade record, Haylett didn't think Garrettsville would be the new record holder. Haylett was number 152 when he registered.
"I don't think so," Haylett said. "Two hundred, maybe."
Jerry Wise hauled his 1955 McCormick Farmall and the tractors of his two brothers, Donnie and Charlie, from Randolph for the parade.
Wise had heard the number 201 when he registered but didn't know if that was his number or the grand total.
"With all this rain we've had you can't get out in the fields to cut hay or anything else," Wise said. "So you might as well take part in a parade."
Kathie Lutz, of Century 21 Goldfire Realty, which sponsored the parade, said they fell short of their record-breaking goal by 66 tractors.
Lutz said the total was 179 parade units, including a Scag Wildcat zero-turn industrial lawn mower, but some of the people who pre-registered did not show up for the parade Saturday.
"But everybody we've asked, they're all coming back next year," Lutz said. "We didn't hit our goal, but next year we're going to triple it!"
SummerFest continues today with a parade at noon, Garrettsville Idol from 7 to 10 p.m., as well as food, contests and entertainment.