Ready to rumble
Lind gears up for annual combine derby this weekend
LIND — In an event that can only be limited by the puny rodeo grounds that play host, the Combine Demolition Derby this weekend will draw 10 times the town's population in both curious spectators and national media.
"The fans love the camaraderie and enjoy watching the most incredible and unusual event in the Pacific Northwest," said Carol Kelly, one of the many volunteers who have been instrumental in organizing the event. "It was so successful and created so much interest that is has just continued."
The event rule committee meets today to establish any changes that are necessary to maintain an injury-free derby. The rules are pretty simple, so the committee may spend more time just enjoying the free steak dinner provided by the 40-member Lind Lions Club which sponsors the derby. Rule No. 1 is to track down a combine that is at least 25 years old and useless for future work in the field. Rule No. 2 is to remove dangerous parts such as glass and reels. Rule No. 3 is put your helmet on and smash into your opponents as fast and often as possible until they can't drive their combine anymore.
"If you have wanted to run your combine over a bluff, than this is something for you," said Bill Loomis. "Combines that might have been sitting in the corner doing nothing are perfect for this."
Loomis, who is a member of the Lions Club, was the first one who thought of bringing the Combine Demolition Derby to Lind. He had heard of a similar event and decided that this was exactly what the town needed. The Lions Club was struggling to make money before the derby, and despite the history of its long-standing rodeo, the event was drawing smaller crowds every year and cost thousands of dollars to host.
"We were beating our heads against the wall trying to come up with something," Loomis said.
Now the Lions Club is sponsoring the 18th annual Combine Demolition Derby and they haven't looked back since.
"We were making a lot of money on the derby, and losing money on the rodeo," Loomis said.
So, after 62 consecutive years of having a rodeo, the town will be calling it quits. In place of the Saturday rodeo, which had usually followed the Friday night Combine Demolition Derby, the Lions Club has decided to add a Car Demolition Derby.
"Younger people are more interested in car crashing," said Loomis, who was known as Captain Hook during his combine derby days. Loomis would dress up as a pirate to compliment the real hook on his right arm, the result of a hunting accident. During his years crushing competitors' combines as Captain Hook, Loomis won first place one year and came in second and third in other years.
In the Combine Demolition Derby's first year there were nine combines in the competition. Loomis sold some of his old combines that first year to get the competition started.
This year, the organizers expect 26 combines from all over the area to be competing for the prize money.
The machines are all painted fancy to express the clever themes of each combine team. Last year, Jaws, which won the combine demolition derby, was painted light blue with gnarly white shark teeth on the header.
New this year will be the grain truck races during the one hour intermission on Friday.
According to Lind Lions Club President Dale Stevenson, who will be running the beer garden, all the money earned will be donated to programs for children and senior citizens. Stevenson said that they specifically wanted to pay for some new baseball fields for Lind youngsters.
"We're just trying to keep the town here and the kids off the street," said Stevenson. "We haven't reached our peak yet, but this event feeds the Lions Club and its donations throughout the year."
Stevenson promises that the Lions Cook Shack, which sold about 1,500 hamburgers last year, will have plenty of good food for those who attend. Most people will be camping out in tents and RVs during the two-day competition.
The event has become successful enough that Life magazine has scheduled a writer and reporter to cover the competition. London-based magazine Loaded will also be covering the event. Country Music Television will be in Lind on Thursday and Friday with a full production crew. CMT will also be on hand to tape the derby song called "Derby Blues" that was written by four community members and is performed by 45-year-old Lind resident Annie Smart. Two years ago, Playboy did an article for its magazine.
The Lind Combine Demolition Derby gets under way at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Saturday events include parades starting at 10:45 a.m., a barbeque at the city park at noon and the car derby at 5 p.m. For more information visit: www.lindwa.com or call the Lind Chamber of Commerce: 677-3655.
The gate fees for the combine derby are $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 6 to 10. The car derby will cost $7 for adults and $4 for children ages 6 to 10.