Mayors will show their pull this weekend

http://www.thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2f1280c785bdf29c

Published March 23, 2010

Residents living west of the Brazos River say their now annual tug-of-war is all about pulling together.

“It unites the West of the Brazos community to a single event,” said Pat Webb, president of Battle on the Bernard Committee.

Brazoria, West Columbia and Sweeny residents will get together at noon Saturday for the second Battle on the Bernard, a friendly competition and a fun time with friends below the FM 2611 bridge over the San Bernard in Churchill, said Roy Edwards, vice president of Battle on the Bernard Committee.

Though there will be food, drink and craft booths, the main event is the tug-of-war. Team entry to the tug-of-war is free.

More than 600 people attended last year’s inaugural event that had groups of 12 tugging on a 11?2-inch rope that spanned 900 feet across the water, Edwards said.

“We had a blast,” he said.

The inspiration for the event? “It just looked like it needed to be done,” Webb said.

This year will include a kids’ tug featuring three age groups — 6 and younger, 7 to 10 and 11 to 13. Each team will include six to 10 kids, and this competition will begin at 12:15 p.m.

The Teen Tug is for those 14 to 18 years old and will take place before the first adult tug of the day. Up to 14 team members will be allowed on the rope.

Adult teams can include 20 team members, but only 12 will be allowed on the rope at a time. The first adult tug is at 1 p.m.

Each tug-of-war lasts two minutes and the team that pulls the other team the furthest wins, Edwards said. The winners keep facing off against each other until there is only one team left standing, he said.

There also is a mayors’ pull, where the mayors of the three cities compete against each other for a trophy shaped like a pelican, Edwards said. Last year, Sweeny won the coveted award, but Brazoria and West Columbia plan to fight hard for it this year, he said.

Registration for the kids and teen competitions ends at noon Saturday. Adult teams can register up to the start of the first adult competition, but only the first 16 teams registered will be allowed to compete.

Teams can register at www.battleonthe bernard.com.

“It’s a fantastic, family type event,” Webb said. The event is unique, he said.

Katlynn Lanham is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0150.