FFA Students compete in the Eastern Region FFA Tractor Driving Contest, hosted by Tucker County High School on Thursday. This is the first time TCHS has hosted the competition and TCHS FFA Instructor Terry Hauser said the event was a great success.
By Beth Christian
Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
HAMBLETON – FFA Members from the Eastern Region of West Virginia demonstrated their knowledge of large tractors and lawn and garden tractors Thursday at Tucker County High School during the Tractor Driving Contest. Many students participated in the event, and others were on hand to cheer their classmates to victory.
TCHS FFA Instructor Terry Hauser said this is the first time the school has hosted the event.
“We have students here from Elkins High School, Tygarts Valley Middle/High School, Moorefield High School, Moorefield Middle School, East Hardy High School, Union High School and Tucker County High School,” Hauser said. “These students will run through a battery of skills including driving the tractors, demonstrating their knowledge of tractor safety and mechanics, taking a written test and tractor parts identification.
Winners in the large tractor driving contest were first place, Cody Whetzel, East Hardy High; second place, Vincent Moats, Tucker County High; and third place, Dylan Hardy, East Hardy High. Winners in the lawn and garden tractor driving contest were first place, Micah Thompson, Tucker County High; second place, Adam Harper, Moorefield; and third place, Jordan Glotfelty, Union High School.
Tygarts Valley FFA Instructor Lee Wright said he brought students from his school so they can show off their tractor safety skills.
“I wanted them to show off their skills and have the opportunity to learn and have a good time,” Wright said. “The whole idea is for them to learn and enjoy themselves.”
Elkins FFA Instructor Wendy Thurston helped judge the lawn and garden tractor driving contest.
“This is very, very intricate,” Thurston said. “The kids just have inches to spare when driving the course. You would think it is easy riding a lawn mower, but the bricks make the course tight. Every brick that is touched by the lawn mower brings the score down by 20 points – if they touch a brick and it falls over, they lose 40 points. They are measured by a tape measure to see how close they come to the stopping points. It is very, very tough.”
Hauser said the TCHS FFA wants to thank the following for helping and providing equipment for the contest: Lowell Moore, who provided a tractor and spreader; Jeremy Hile, who provided a tractor; Ben Kisamore, who provided a hay wagon; Oakland Tractor Supply, who provided the lawn tractors; and Jim Nestor, who helped with judging and scoring.
