Tractor Driving
We got to see a tractor-driving competition for young people. Here are some of the pictures from it.
This is the ring where the competition was held. To the right and rear you can see some vintage tractors on display. We begin with them.
These are models that I used to drive in Michigan in the 1950s and 1960s, John Deeres and Farmalls. The Olivers were shown at the rear of the ring.
This McCormick-Deering predates me by quite a bit.
One of the youthful competitors. First they had to drive forward through a bunch of staggered poles, sort of like a slalom for tractors. Then they had to back the manure spreader straight into a narrow area.
The man in blue is the judge.
One of the hardest parts of the competition was backing the four-wheeled wagon (at the left corner) between a set of poles. Not everyone could do it.
Backing the manure spreader between the red lines.
Here is an Oliver 77, modified to run on propane gas. You can see the tank just in front of the steering wheel. The tractor is vintage 1950. Was it really that long ago?
Here is al old John Deere stationary power plant, used for powering devices like threshing machines. A belt would wrap around the wheel just to the right of "Deere" and transfer the power to the other machine.
Here is a girl from Narragansett competing on a miniature tractor. This is designed to get younger folk used to competing before they have to drive a full-size tractor.