FARMINGTON — Friday’s heat did not deter the animal enthusiasts in the pulling ring at the Farmington Fairgrounds.

The Maine Draft Horse and Ox Association is holding its spring pull this weekend.

Events continue Saturday, June 19, from 10 a.m. into the evening with the last pull starting at 6 p.m. The latter pulling time brings out the big oxen weighing 3,600 pounds to 4,000 pounds a pair, and big draft horses, too.

On Sunday, pulling starts at 10 a.m. Admission is $6 per person per day with seniors paying $4 each.

Corey Beale, 29, of Peru became interested in pulling after watching his neighbor do it.

Beale, a disc jockey, is originally from Washington, D.C. He came to Maine four years ago.

“My neighbor has a pair of cattle. I watched him pull. I thought it was cool,” Beale said. “I finally got the nerve up to go into the pulling ring. I used to just exercise them.”

His pair, Siah, a Chianina, and Hawk, a Holstein/brown Swiss cross, were in the barn waiting for their midafternoon pulling time. They weighed 3,010 combined Friday morning, said Merle Lufkin of Lufkin & Sons Logging of Peru.

“They work good together,” Beale said.

He has been working with them for two years.

“It’s just like a hobby,” he said. “It keeps you busy. It’s good exercise. It is hard work. It is a lot time having patience.”

Xavier Wilbur, 11, of New Vineyard waited outside the pulling ring with his steers, Apollo and Zeus, both 10 months old. He petted the animals as they stood still, once in a while mooing.

He and Beale were entered in the Farmers Steer and Ox distance pulling event.

Beale’s pair was expected to pull about 3,000 pounds and Wilbur’s steers were going to pull 600 pounds.

[email protected]