http://www.agsem.com/200708-yohob.html

Bruce Yoho has a sit down job behind the wheel at our July 29 Consignment Auction.
The tractor? Sold for $2500.

Kid's Driving Tractors
Bruce Yoho
What!!!! Well, maybe we should say steering tractors.

Yes, we had 4 tractors of the small Garden Variety that children could drive/steer by themselves. With an attendant walking beside them, to give them directions where to drive and keep the tractor under control. Always ready to kill the tractor if things got out of control. The tractors were kept in low gear, which made for a slow walk, for the attendant.

Children paid $1.00 to go around 3 times. They bought a ticket and had to have their own money. Yep, if they could not hold on to their own money and buy the ticket they could not ride. (Some parents had to be counseled that this was a kids event)

Now, to see the excitement in a 4 year olds face with that $100.00 bill Mom just gave him. Or maybe it was $1000.00. All he cared was it would get him a little green ticket, that would allow him to pick a tractor and get to drive.

Interesting expressions were always there. Great big eyes “I am scared as hell Mom”. When the engine starts the eyes get bigger, the attendant says, are you ready? Answer was always yes!! The first lap you notice the child's eyes are back to normal. Tight lips prevail with that determined appearance. As they crest the hill and spot Mom with the camera smiles come.

On the second lap relaxation starts to appear and they started to feel comfortable and looking at the attendant as if to say, what are you doing here Bud? I do not need you anymore. The last lap they had that accomplished look about them and ready to hook up to something and make that tractor work.

I have to add that it was a most enjoyable show for me and a very tiring one to. I had this one young lady that seemed to be mentally challenged but really wanted to drive. Under our speed conditions I thought this should be OK and decided to do it myself with the Kubota Tractor as it was slightly bigger.

She jumped right up on the tractor laughing and giggling all the time, she did not say much, but when the tractor was started you would have thought she was a cheer leader for UCLA. I asked are you ready she acknowledged by a shake of the head still giggling, off we went she followed directions to the letter. On the second lap she surprised me with “I am GETTING IT”. All the way around the 3rd lap she kept yelling between giggles “I GOT IT, I GOT IT'. Well, needless to say she probably still has IT. And I will not forget IT either.

What did we accomplish? We gave some kids a little responsibility of their own, a little excitement, a little accomplishment, and just maybe a return visitor. Are We going to do it again? Yes, if I have the blessing of the show committee and about 8 people to help me. A lot of walking.

From 10:00AM to 12:00 its about 300 feet around the course. From 2:00PM to 4:00PM it is about 10 miles around the course Grandpa. But the pleasure you get is well worth it.

I would like to Thank all my tired help. Connie Morton for making our wonderful signs at the last minute. Cecil Morton for letting me dig his tractor out of the weeds and use. Jack Lester for letting us use his new tractor. Bob Morley letting us use his tractor that he hauled in for us. Phil Green did a good job at selling tickets and crowd control. Dillon from Las Vegas and his sister and brother who helped as driver attendants. I had two other young men who helped as attendants but did not get their names.

Yes, we are looking for donation of garden tractors, I will get them running and the older they are the better must have rear fenders though. We do not need the attachments but will not refuse them.