2010 Inductee

Ron Clemons
Lakeville, Indiana

Ronald Clemons -

Born in Knox, Indiana in February of 1946, Ron held off until he was 12 years old, when he began pulling ponies in 1958 in Fairmont, Indiana.  His competition, in those early days, included Melvin Roush Sr., Frank Slusher, Tom, Don and Jake Humbert.  There were others who pulled ponies against him for the next nine years.  Then he moved up to pulling full sized horses when he was 21 in 1967.  From that moment Ron was infected with horsepulling disease and he still suffers from it today. 

As a honeywagon contractor, Ron has carried out various human needs with a historical vengeance.  Folks have questioned him about some of the odors of his profession; was it him personally or was that smell ahead of him a professional thing?  Always ready with a quick comeback, this is what Ron would say; "Just remember, you doo doo is my bread and butter".

Ron and Pam had been married for three years before he began pulling with the full sized horses.  Ron went through the entire gamut of challenges that a modern day horsepuller with an old fashioned habit would.  Ron and Pam began their marital journey using wooden whippletreees to share their load.  In the beginning Ron used a stock truck to move the horses from place to place as horsepulling contests dictated.

Ron was always looking for a match for his stoutest horse.  He was always alert to staying competitive as he broke hame straps, tugs and of course eveners.  Ron didn't spend all of his time pulling horses however and Marsha, Ronald and Shawnda joined the family as a result of some of his non-horsepulling activities.  When he wasn't pulling horses he ended up with 7 grandchildren and Braydon their great-grandchild who has it made.

Ron was always competitive and horsepulling provided an arena in which he could meet this competitive need.  With the passage of time and as he learned more about the sport and those who were trying to beat him, his horses got better and so did he.  Ron has been nominated for membership in the Draft Horsepulling Hall of Fame because of his attitude, his value system and the simple fact that he has been described by those he challenges as a "nice man".  Congratulations Ron!