Tower City’s Kevin Richman stands in front of his 1999 Ford F250 Super Duty, the pickup that won him first place in two classes at the 2020 Pickup Pull at the N. D. Winter Show. Richman has owned the pickup for fifteen years and has pulled with it for fourteen.

By Ruth Nicolaus

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – After the smoke cleared and the pickups for the Pickup Pull at the N.D. Winter Show were out of the main arena, Kevin Richman surfaced as winner in two classes.

The Tower City, N.D. man won first place in the stock heavy division and the street modified heavy division.

Richman has been pulling for the past 18 years or so, beginning his junior year of high school. His dad, Steven Richman, used to do old time tractor and pickup pulls. The tractors didn’t appeal to Kevin, but the pickups did. His first pickup to use in a pull was his dad’s 1978 Ford.

In Valley City at the N.D. Winter Show, not only did he compete but he helped, too. Richman is starting his third year as a board member for the South East Pickup Pullers Association, and he goes to nearly all of their pulls each year, helping as needed. He sometimes helps “spec” the pickups, making sure they meet the guidelines or specifications.

He enjoys volunteering as much as he does pulling. Helping produce the entertainment appeals to him. It’s about “putting on a show,” he said.

Richman, who owns and operates his own trucking company, drove the same pickup for his two wins: a 1999 Ford F250 Super Duty. It’s a stock pickup, meaning that Richman has made no modifications on it at all. Making no changes cuts down on the cost and on time, too; as a business owner, he doesn’t have a lot of spare time to devote to pickup pulling.

Richman has pulled at the N.D. Winter Show nearly every year since 2006, except for one year when he was deployed to Kosovo in a peace keeping mission. Richman served in the Army National Guard for eight and a half years.

The Pickup Pull was sanctioned by the South East Pickup Pullers Association. Forty-six pickups pulled in the Pull, which took place March 3.

The 83^rd annual North Dakota Winter Show began Feb. 29 and continues through March 7 with high school rodeo (Battle of the Border), women’s breakaway roping, a ranch rodeo, ag speakers, a Little Buckaroo Rodeo, PRCA rodeo, and more.

For a complete schedule, visit the website at www.NorthDakotaWinterShow.com or call 701.845.1401.

Unofficial results from the Pickup Pull on March 3 follow:

2 Wheel Light

1. Michael Riplinger 110.89 ft.

No other pullers in the class.

Stock Light

1. Dale Mathern 120.87 ft.
2. Jeffrey Richman 118.53 ft.
3. Ron Hartson 95.89 ft.

Street Modified Light

1. Jeffrey Richman 120.55 ft.
2. Bob Wegner 108.44 ft.
3. Brandon Erickson 99.5 ft.

4 Wheel Light

1. Steve Peterson 140.67 ft.
2. Darian Walburn 101.62 ft.
3. Wayne Johnson 97.31 ft.

2 Wheel Heavy

1. Colby Fraase 130.42 ft.
2. Jeffrey Richman 106.69 ft.
3. Ricky Bobby 106.64 ft.

Stock Heavy

1. Kevin Richman 159.27 ft.
2. Lane Perleberg 136.64 ft.
3. Jeffrey Richman 134.45 ft.

4 Wheel Heavy

1. Steve Peterson 172.85 ft.
2. Ricky Bobby 105.16 ft.
3. Travis Johnson  97.31 ft.

Street Modified Heavy

1. Kevin Richman 165.22 ft.
2. Lane Perleberg 155.18 ft.
3. Jeffrey Richman 148.75 ft.

2 Wheel Open

1. Lance Inscore 92.29 ft.

No other pullers in the class.

Diesel Open

1. Dylan Carr 172.53 ft.
2. Tanner Krause 162.27 ft.
3. Tanner Krause 154.25 ft.