Team Winter struts its stuff

Supportive wife Mary Winter stands with competitive tractor driver Graeme Winter beside his racing tractor. Photo / Shannon Gillies

A souped-up tractor making its way through the quiet Kurow streets on Saturday morning marked the arrival of the first Kurow Kruisers' shine and show at the Kurow Racecourse.

A helicopter, a police car, a fire truck and ponies were among the 100-plus means of transport all extensively polished and styled for the show, but one vehicle stood out from the rest.

Canterbury's competitive tractor driver Graeme Winter, who owns a crib with his wife, Mary, in Kurow, brought his latest tractor to show off to the hundreds of people who poured into the arena.

He had just modified the tractor, so did not want to reveal its top speed just yet.

"It's something we're working on. It certainly goes from zero to quick really fast."

He said racing tractors was incredible fun but the scene had changed from where it was a few years ago, when it was quite competitive, to now, when it was much more settled down and had a stronger focus on fun.

"I've done tractor pulls.

"It's just a great day out. You don't build one of these things up and be too serious.

"There used to be a lot of tractors around, but now they've quietened it down. But now it's time to wake them up."

He said tractor racing was mostly about towing a sled in what he described as a quick dash.

His tractor contained a 454 Chevy engine that had replaced a previous, smaller motor.

"It would be the fastest haymaker in Canterbury ... probably the dirtiest."

One of the key organisers of the event, Lou Tait, of Duntroon, said the show was open to all vehicles and the tractor fitted well into the promotion of "big toys" at the event. The show was also a fundraiser for the Duntroon Wetland and the Kurow Community Car, but it was unknown at this stage how much money had been raised for the two community projects.

She said months of work went into organising the day and she was "ecstatic" with the result.