How To Conduct Your Own Tractor Olympics

2014 - Volume #38, Issue #2, Page #23

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With the winter Olympics behind us, Liz Capen says it’s time to plan ahead for summer’s Tractor Olympics. She has a book to make it easier.
  Tractor Olympics events give antique tractor clubs a new excuse to get together. Instead of pulls or parades, tractor owners participate in competitions that mimic farming and demonstrate tractor skills.
  After an earlier FARM SHOW article about the Tractor Olympics that Capen and her husband, Dave, host on their Bennington, Vt., farm (Vol. 36, No. 3), she received dozens of calls from Canada and all over the U.S. from California to Florida to New York. Some offered suggestions for new tractor games. Others wanted to know how to start their own Olympics and how to turn it into a fundraiser. A couple of brothers from Iowa even drove out to watch the Capens’ event that September.
  Capen decided to write a book, which she completed this winter. Her self-published, “Shaftsbury Hollow Tractor Olympics,” is hot off the press. The subtitle explains what it’s about: “A tractor enthusiast’s official rule and guide for farm related games”.
  “It’s a handy, easy-read book that’s simple and to the point,” Capen says.
  The 43-page manual shows photos of games, provides advice on safety, how to organize volunteers, and how to keep the competitions fair.
  She included details of the games she mentioned in the original FARM SHOW article, such as Balloon Pop and Crack the Egg. But she also added new ones that FARM SHOW readers told her about.      For Corn Plant, drivers drop a kernel of corn from their tractor seat into containers as they pass over them.
  In Blindman’s Leap, the driver is blindfolded (with a welding mask) and told to drive straight ahead and stop at a designated line without driving over it.
  “The driver on our biggest tractor, a Deere 620, won by getting within 4 in.,” Capen says.
  The book also describes Blindman’s Bluff, where a second person on a tractor directs a blindfolded driver through an obstacle course.
  From the calls she received, she knows tractor games are popular. One caller wondered if the events could be adapted for garden tractors.
  Capen sells the book for $12 including shipping. Email or call her for more information.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Liz Capen, 588 Shaftsbury Hollow Rd., N. Bennington, Vt. 05257 (ph 802 447-4993; LizCapen101@outlook.com).

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How To Conduct Your Own Tractor Olympics AG WORLD With the winter Olympics behind us Liz Capen says it’s time to plan ahead for summer’s Tractor Olympics She has a book to make it easier Tractor Olympics events give antique tractor clubs a new excuse to get together Instead of pulls or parades tractor owners participate in competitions that mimic farming and demonstrate tractor skills After an earlier FARM SHOW article about the Tractor Olympics that Capen and her husband Dave host on their Bennington Vt farm Vol 36 No 3 she received dozens of calls from Canada and all over the U S from California to Florida to New York Some offered suggestions for new tractor games Others wanted to know how to start their own Olympics and how to turn it into a fundraiser A couple of brothers from Iowa even drove out to watch the Capens’ event that September Capen decided to write a book which she completed this winter Her self-published “Shaftsbury Hollow Tractor Olympics ” is hot off the press The subtitle explains what it’s about: “A tractor enthusiast’s official rule and guide for farm related games” “It’s a handy easy-read book that’s simple and to the point ” Capen says The 43-page manual shows photos of games provides advice on safety how to organize volunteers and how to keep the competitions fair She included details of the games she mentioned in the original FARM SHOW article such as Balloon Pop and Crack the Egg But she also added new ones that FARM SHOW readers told her about For Corn Plant drivers drop a kernel of corn from their tractor seat into containers as they pass over them In Blindman’s Leap the driver is blindfolded with a welding mask and told to drive straight ahead and stop at a designated line without driving over it “The driver on our biggest tractor a Deere 620 won by getting within 4 in ” Capen says The book also describes Blindman’s Bluff where a second person on a tractor directs a blindfolded driver through an obstacle course From the calls she received she knows tractor games are popular One caller wondered if the events could be adapted for garden tractors Capen sells the book for $12 including shipping Email or call her for more information Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Liz Capen 588 Shaftsbury Hollow Rd N Bennington Vt 05257 ph 802 447-4993; LizCapen101@outlook com

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