TRACTOR DRIVING CONTEST

A tractor driving contest will be continued this year for those great tractor drivers.

The contest will be held near the main arena on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 beginning at 11:00 a.m.  Participants must be residents of Monroe County or be a student at Columbia, Valmeyer, Red Bud, or Waterloo schools.  The contest will be divided into two age divisions as follows:

A-2008 high school graduates and younger

B-2007 high school graduates and older
Division A participants may compete in one or both of the below categories:
    1) 2-wheeled driving event written test practical exam
    2) 4-wheeled driving event written test practical exam
Division B will consist of:
    2-wheeled driving event
    4-wheeled driving event

Explanation of events:
1) TWO-WHEELED EVENT: Participants will be driving a tractor with a two wheeled implement through a course. Penalties will be assessed for knocking balls from posts, knocking over posts, going beyond the boundaries, and operating equipment without safety precautions. A six minute time limit will be allowed for this event. The diagram of the course is as follows:
NEED DIAGRAM OF MAP PRINTED HERE
2) FOUR-WHEELED EVENT: Participants will be driving a tractor with a four-wheeled implement forward and backward into a specified space.  Penalties will be assessed for knocking balls from posts, knocking over posts, going beyond the boundaries, and operating equipment without safety precautions. A four minute time limit will be allowed for this event. The
diagram of the course is as follows:
NEED DIAGRAM OF MAP PRINTED HERE
3) WRITTEN TEST: The written test will consist of 25 multiple choice questions concerning the safe operation of tractors.
4) PRACTICAL EXAM: The practical exam will consist of a "rigged" tractor with unsafe features. Participants will be required to identify unsafe features or maintenance items that should be corrected before the tractor is used. A time limit will be used to identify these unsafe features.
5) All participants will be instructed on what to do before the driving events begin.
6) The contest will begin at 11:00 a.m. SHARP. Participants should congregate in the main arena by 10:30 a.m.
7) The contest will be sponsored by the Waterloo and Valmeyer FFA Chapters.  For more information, contact Tim McDermott at 217-417-3622 or 939-3455, or Howard Heavner at 935-6060.
8) Those interested should sign a registration sheet in the main office of the fair during fair week. A $1.00 entry fee will be assessed per person.
9) A trophy will be awarded to the 1st place individual in each category with ribbons being awarded for 2nd through 6th places in each category.

Prize money in each category will be awarded as follows:
1st $25.00 -2nd $20.00 - 3rd $15.00

TROPHIES:
2 Wheel Youth trophy sponsored by Valmeyer FFA. 4 Wheel Youth trophy sponsored by Waterloo FFA.
Adult Division trophy sponsored by Waterloo FFA Alumni.