The beautiful Lake Tawakoni area holds the titles for Catfish Capital of Texas as well as the Bluebird Capital of Texas.  The lake is formed from an iron bridge dam on the Sabine River, 50 miles east of Dallas. 

The Tawakoni name is derived from the Native American Indian tribes of the area, meaning "river bend among red sand hills."  It is on one of these red sand hills, in the town of East Tawakoni, that the LSGTPA tractor pulling teams gathered for the first event of the 2012 season. 

The sandy soil made for an excellent 200-foot pulling track, upon which the thirty-plus tractors in attendance pulled for the first title of the season, in front of a great crowd. 

The Youth Class started the show, and saw Katyn Yarborough taking the title.  Aidan Hovind placed second with his 'Yes Deere' machine followed by Cassidy Bramlett in third.  Jared Stephan brought home a fourth place trophy in his pulling debut, and returning 2011 champion Kody Langham and Lane Duncan's 'Texas T-Rex' rounded out the top of the class.

In Stock, Kolby Langham took the top honors, followed by Claude Lewis and Chris Harper for the top three.  Curtis Felps turned in a fourth place finish followed by Jaron Howdeshell and Steve Mccarley. 

In Big Stock, it was Team Aufdenkamp dominating the field, as John and Shawn Aufdenkamp finished one-two.  Kolby Langham and Patrick Bramlett turned in Full Pulls, to hold on to the third and fourth place slots, while Len Hickerson finished fifth in a very close field. 

Michael Mayberry piloted his 'Pulling for Peanuts' entry over Shawn Aufdenkamp, to take the Stock Altered title, while Ken Langham took the Super Stock honors.  John Aufdenkamp used a great pull aboard his 'Three of a Kind' triple engine tractor, to take the Outlaw Class title.  Len Hickerson, Steve Pierce and Claude Lewis, Jr. finished 1-2-3 in the Motorcycle Class. 

After the smoke cleared in the Mini Rod class, Sarah Moody had placed her '99% Moody' John Deere at the top of the hill.  James Moody followed, by just over one foot, while Jerry Toland and Thomas Kimmons rounded out the top of the field. 

The always entertaining Super Rod tractors closed the show, with Randall Moody taking the win aboard the 'Ridge Runner'.  Jerry Toland  used some great driving skill to take his wild 'Dodge This' tractor down the track for a second place finish, while Tyler McCarley took the 'ScatCat' tractor to a third place finish.  James Moody and Sam Carroll rounded out the top five Super Rod tractors. 

The first LSGTPA event of 2012, was also the inaugural Spirt of  East Tawakoni pull, and plans are underway to return to the shore lines of East Tawakoni in 2013. 

The next stop for the LSGTPA teams will be in Bonham, Texas at the Bonham Heritage Days celebration on May 5.    

Visit the www.LSGTPA.com website for more information. 

John Aufdenkamp powers his triple engine 'Three of a Kind' tractor to a victory in LSGTPA Outlaw class, in East Tawakoni.

Randall Moody pilots the 'Ridge Runner' to a win in the LSGTPA Super Rod Tractor class, in East Tawakoni.

Shawn Aufdenkamp finished runner-up, in both Big Stock and Stock Altered classes, at the Spirit of East Tawakoni tractor pull.