South Africa participates in massively successful World Record tractor
challenge
7th
August 2007
South Africa participates in massively successful World Record tractor
challenge
At Cooley in Ireland on Sunday, 5th August, nearly 5,000 tractors turned up to participate in what was arguably an event of biblical proportions. The Irish were not put off by the fact that torrential rain fell for most of Sunday turning the fields into quagmires. Although the muddy conditions worried the organisers for a while it provided added entertainment for the thousands of drivers. In fact the Sandstone Heritage Trust Hi-Crop 60 looked like a normal John Deere when it descended into huge pools of mud. Even now it carries a high water mark a metre high. Despite the difficulties they sounded the siren at 3.30pm and a total of 4,572 tractors moved off. Sadly between 500-600 were never even offloaded from their trucks. There was simply no space or time for people to physically offload and get to the site.
The organisers printed 4,000 registration cards, which were consumed in their entirety. Photocopied registration cards had to be hurriedly put together.
What was significant about the above event was that it was run true to the rules established by Sandstone Estates in the Eastern Free State in 1999 when the first World Record attempt was made. A modest 101 tractors participated, and of course that became the World Record at the time.
South Africa's support for the event was robust. A total of seven tractors were shipped in two containers from South Africa to participate. They included the Emerson Brantingham Big 4-30 driven by Charles
Viljoen, the GO tractor driven by Barry Coffen, Field Marshall Series III driven by Jim Dean, John Deere Model H driven by John Sinclair, Landini Hot Bulb driven by Gerhard
Wille, John Deere Hi-Crop 60 driven by David Mouland, and a 4-wheel drive Holder driven by Wilfred Mole.
All seven tractors performed flawlessly and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the muddy conditions after the dust of the Eastern Free State South Africa and Cootamundra Australia. Three of the tractors, namely the Emerson Brantingham Big 4-30, the GO, and the JD Hi-Crop 60 participated in both the events.
Since Sandstone started the World Record attempt means that we are always in people's minds and our support and attendance at events of this magnitude is considered almost compulsory. We are fortunate to be able to carry the flag for South Africa which receives much recognition and praise for both the scope and the adventurous nature of its vintage tractor movement.
The feeling of national pride in Ireland, coupled with their high density of farms and the broad spread of vintage tractors throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, have made them the undisputed Vintage and Classic Tractor World Heavyweight Champions.
We have heard that the Canadians may be considering a similar event so our tractors will bide their time in Europe to see what announcements are made.
For further details contact
.
For
details of panoramic photos of the event - click
here.
Click
images
for a larger version
ARRIVING
They came under their own power by road.
Who needs more water?
PEOPLE
David Mouland, a member of the South African team,
posing with John Deere Hi-Crop 60 and obviously taking
no strain.
Team members Gerhard Wille (left), Charles Viljoen and
Reinette Wille. Reinette, as the only lady member of the
team, was a great help in runnning our shop and always
being there to assist.
Barry Coffen, the most jovial of men, waiting for the
start of the event on the very rare GO tractor. We
hope he wasn't planning to lean back much
more!
Click
images for a larger version
THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP
Loaded and almost ready to go. Departing
Lower Pertwood Farm, Wiltshire.
Do not forget to always take the Field Marshall
up backwards.
I think we will give this one a helping hand.
David Mouland's Scania which did
the honours to Ireland and back...
not much mud around - yet!
ARRIVAL IN IRELAND
Visitors to the Great 400 working event
in South Africa in 2002 were there to welcome the team
to Ireland.
Being parked on sideways means that you
have to be lifted off. The
facilities available to participants was outstanding.
WAITING
Is it a bird - no, we think it is a girl. Our GO tractor
looking
resplendent in the mud.
Will it stop raining ?
Waiting to start... but the clouds are lifting.
We are enjoying the mud Mum.
MORE PEOPLE
The Manne. Left to right: Gerhard Wille, Charles Viljoen,
Barry Coffen, Wilfred Mole, David Mouland.
A veteran of many World Record attempts, Charles Viljoen,
proudly displaying his country of origin.
John Sinclair, a member of the Sandstone team,
was taking no chances with the weather. John was driving
the
John Deere Model H.
THE EVENT
The Irish Vintage Tractor enthusiasts must be the most jovial
people on earth - always smiling and always ready to have a
chat. Note the upright stance of devoted South African
vintage tractor collector standing to attention with his flag.
If tractors could smile!
The South African team.
Camping can be so much fun.
To get more than 4,500 tractors into one field
in Ireland means you have to pack them very closely together.
What it looks like from behind the steering
wheel of the John Deere Hi-Crop 60.
THEY'RE OFF !
They are off !
Mud and tractors as far as the eye can see.
As can be expected the Hillbillies were there.
Even getting stuck can be fun!
Having a 4-wheel drive tractor made in
Switzerland can be a real advantage.
Don't worry Mum, I promise I am alright!
Follow that Avery.
They did not have to be restored tractors -
they just had to be tractors.
It's over - time to stop and reflect.
GOING HOME
It is over. We may as well go home.
Accommodation and all.
For many it was quicker to walk home.
The morning after. When is someone taking us
home?
Loading on Monday morning for the long haul
down Ireland, across the Irish Sea, through Wales into England
and then down to Wiltshire.
Time to relax and savour the moment.
PRESS CLIPPINGS
(1.3Mb PDF)
SUPPORT
FOR COOLEY 2007
WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT
FROM SOUTH AFRICA
(1.2Mb PDF)
AugustLive
(1.2Mb PDF)
Deluge
Fails to deter
vintage fans
(1.3Mb PDF)
Irish
Independent
(150kb PDF)
Irish
Farmers Journal
(1.4Mb PDF)
Irish
Independent
(440kb PDF)
Old
Glory pg1
(440kb PDF)
Old
Glory pg2
South
Africa's involvement in the Tractor
World Challenge programme around the world
was summarised in this recent article;
