GREENVILLE- On the back of Joe Singer's Escalade, the plate says it all. 

"5 Sleds" 

It has nothing to do with snow or going sledding but has everything to do with the Darke County Tractor Pullers Association (DCTPA) and the Darke County Fair. 

Singer, a 1977 graduate of Tri-Village, was one of the founders of the DCTPA and has been there from the inception. Now, Singer is serving as president of the Association. 

"I've been here since day one and that was 1981," said Singer proudly. "I've always liked tractor pulling. It was something we grew up with as kids. It's just a lot of fun." 

It all started with a pulling sled that has grown and grown big. Big enough to become a five sled operation. 

"When this got started, we never imagined it getting this big for us," said Singer. "It really has become a great part-time business and we have a five sled operation now. We travel all over the area providing the pulling sleds for many pulls." 

With the economy being as bad as it's been, tractor/truck pulling has continued to thrive despite the economy. 

Singer gives the credit to one thing. 

"Even in the hard times lately, agriculture has continued to do well," Singer pointed out. "Pulling is based on agriculture. Not all of it but in some ways, pulling is related to it. Honestly, where we've been, most events have been pretty well attended." 

So how does pulling and agriculture go together? 

The Singer family has farmed all their lives and knows how it's tied in together. 

"When tractor pulling got started, it was a bunch of farmers that go together and started pulling against each other. All these guys pulling tonight have agriculture in their backgrounds somewhere," said Singer. "They may farm or their dad farmed, it's in there somewhere. It's a redneck racing sport basically." 

The DCTPA will spend a lot of time traveling. After the Darke County Fair, the group will be on the move. 

"We well go to the Dayton area over Labor Day and we were in Troy a couple of weeks ago," said Singer. "We go to Redkey, Indiana and three days in Lynn, Indiana the week-end after Labor Day. We also do the county fair in Bowling Green. Total, we do about 170 events a year. More recently we were in Somerset, Pa." 

No matter how big the DCTPA gets, Singer knows it can't be done without its biggest asset... people! 

"I have a lot of really good people that help me," said Singer. "I don't know how many help us, they are all volunteers that love truck and tractor pulls. Without the Schlechty family, this wouldn't happen because my vice-president, Kyle, his dad was with me when this got started and his name is Tony. Tony, myself, Duane Edwards, the announcer, Estel Shaw and Dave Blocker are the original members of the association. At the time we got this going, there was no tractor pulling at the fair from about the mid 60's to the early 80's. With the help of the fair board, we got the pulling back. Now, we are in our 32nd year." 

Singer closed by saying, the DCTPA is his pride and joy and being able to bring his equipment to his county fair is a pleasure.