National 4-H Lawn Tractor Contest

2009 Rules

NATIONAL 4-H LAWN TRACTOR CONTEST

This event is designed to give 4-H members participating in the 4-H Lawn Tractor program an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the areas of lawn care, business management, and lawn and garden tractor (less than 20 Hp) operation, maintenance and safety, while competing with other 4-Hers. Safety is stressed throughout this contest.

This contest will include (time limits as shown):

Written examination (20 minutes)
Parts/Materials Identification (15 minutes)
Lawn Tractor Safety
Lawn Tractor Driving
(NOTE: Lawn Tractor Safety and Driving time limits = 8 minutes simulatneously)

Designated judges will preside over the event and their decisions will be final.

Participant Limitation

The participant will be physically large enough to operate the tractor without help from others or bypassing the tractor safety interlock systems.

Tractor Operation

The driving portion gives 4-H club members participating in this contest an opportunity to demonstrate their skill in operation of small tractors. Safety in work habits and equipment operation is stressed throughout the event. The participant will operate a lawn and garden tractor (less than 20 Hp) through the prescribed course.

Scoring

Penalty points will be assessed for errors in written examination, parts identification, safety, and poor operation. The individual with the lowest total score will be declared the winner.

Practice Period

Each participant will be given limited time (not more than 4 minutes) to study and get acquainted with the machine and its controls. The tractor may be operated in the immediate area of the contest during the familiarization but not through the course.

Contestant's Number ________

NATIONAL 4-H LAWN TRACTOR CONTEST

	EVENTS	SCORE
State: ______________________	Written Examination	______
County _____________________	Parts Identification	______
Name ______________________	Lawn Tractor:	______
Address ____________________	Safety	______
	Operation Tractor Subtotal	______ ______
	Total Penalty Points (Low score wins)	______

Event No. I. Written Examination

Will consist of 25 multiple choice questions pertaining to the Lawn Tractor program and the operation, care maintenance, and safety of lawn tractors, including business management and lawn and turf management.

Rules:

Four penalty points will be given for each question answered incorrectly or unanswered.
Time limit 20 minutes.

Scoring: Questions missed ______ x 4 = Total Penalty Points ______

Event No. II. Parts/Materials Identification

Will consist of a group of 25 numbered items which must be identified. Participant will place the item number beside the most correct item name on a list. Items or parts used in the Lawn Tractor program will be included (tractor and equipment parts, business items, lawn and turf material).

Rules:

Each item to be identified will be numbered.
Time limit 15 minutes

Scoring: Items missed ______ x 4 = Total Penalty Points ______

Contestant's Number: _____________
Name: __________________________

State: ___________________________

Event No. II Lawn Tractor Identification

Parts to be identified have numbers attached to them. Select the most correct part name from this list. Write the corresponding number beside the name. With some larger items, pictures are used.

INSECTS

______ Cut Worm
______ Sideweb Worm
______ White Grub

EQUIPMENT PARTS

______ Adjuster, mower height
______ Aerifork
______ Assembly, transport wheel
______ Battery, 12-volt
______ Bearing ball, sealed
______ Bearing ball, open
______ Bearing, needle
______ Bearing, sleeve
______ Bearing, tapered roller
______ Belt, flat
______ Belt, "V"
______ Blade adapter, rotary
______ Blade, reel mower
______ Blade, rotary mower
______ Blade, edger/trimmer
______ Cable, battery
______ Chain, flat
______ Chain, roller
______ Clip, retainer, external
______ Clip, retainer, internal
______ Clutch, pedal
______ Clutch, plate
______ Filter, air, dry element
______ Filter, air, oil foam
______ Fuse
______ Gear
______ Heat exchanger
______ Holder, fuse
______ Hose, hydraulic
______ Hydraulic lift cylinder
______ Lawn sprinkler head
______ Magneto, breaker-type
______ Magneto, solid state
______ Motor, hydraulic
______ Muffler
______ Pin, cotter (cotter key)
______ Pin, drawbar

______ Pin, hair
______ Pin, lynch
______ Pin, rolled
______ Pin, split
______ Plug, oil drain
______ Pulley, flat belt
______ Pulley, idler (tightener)
______ Pulley, "V" belt
______ Seal, oil/grease
______ Spreader, broadcast
______ Spreader, drop or thrust
______ Sprocket
______ Starting safety interlock component
______ Tie rod end
______ Tiller drag bar
______ Tiller tine
______ Tire, tractor, front
______ Tire, tractor, rear
______ Trans-axle
______ Tube, tire
______ Valve cap, tire
______ Valve core
______ Valve stem
______ Wheel lug bolt
______ Wheel lug nut
______ Wheel, mower

PLANTS AND SEEDS

______ Clover
______ Grass seed
______ Legume seed
______ Kentucky bluegrass

MECHANIC AND GARDEN TOOLS

______ Chuck, tire inflater
______ Clipper, grass
______ Clipper, hedge
______ Gage, spark plug gap
______ Gage, thickness or feeler
______ Gage, tire inflation
______ Hose, garden

______ Nozzle, garden hose
______ Spark tester
______ Valve spring compressor
______ Wrench, allen (hex)
______ Wrench, socket, 1/2" drive
______ Wrench, socket, 3/8" drive
______ Wrench, spark plug
______ Wrench, ratchet handle 1/2"
______ Wrench, ratchet handle 3/8"
______ Wrench, T handle, 1/4" drive
______ Wrench, T handle, 3/8" drive
______ Wrench, torque 1/2"
______ Wrench, torque 3/8"

WEEDS AND GRASSES

______ Annual bluegrass
______ Carpetweed
______ Common chickweed
______ Common purslane
______ Crabgrass
______ Dandelion
______ Goosegrass
______ Ground Ivy or Creep Charlie
______ Knot weed
______ Plantain
______ Prostrate Spurge
______ Quackgrass
______ Shepherdspurse
______ White clover
______ Yellow nutsedge

OTHER

______ Card, business
______ Fertilizer, slow release
______ Fertilizer, granular
______ Glasses, reading
______ Glasses, safety
______ Ledger, accounting
______ Limestone, ground
______ Shoe, dress
______ Shoe, steel toed safety
______ Shoe, street

Items missed _______ x 4 = Total Penalty Points _______

Contestant's Number: _________________
Name: ________________________

State: ________________________

Event No. III Lawn Tractor Safety

Procedure: Each participant will be scored throughout the lawn tractor operation portion of the event. At some predetermined time, the safety judge will put an obstacle in front of the equipment being operated by the participant. The participant is expected to stop immediately and remove the obstacle from the course (hand it to the safety judge).

Scoring	Number Times	Penalty Points
Prestart Check (Report each to safety judge) (5 minutes max.)
Failure to check fuel level	(25)	______
Failure to check oil level	(25)	______
Failure to check coolant level	(25)	______
Failure to observe tire inflation	(25)	______
Failure to observe loose or missing parts	(25)	______
Obstacle Removal
Distance traveled before stopping (inches)	______ x 5	______
Failure to set brakes/park	(50)	______
Failure to disengage blade	(50)	______
Starting Safely
Failure to check neutral position/parking brake	______ x 25	______
Failure to disengage clutch while starting engine	______ x 50	______
Driving Safely
Start forward motion smoothly	______ x 25	______
Failure to ride on seat	______ x 100	______
Skidding or spinning tractor wheels (Scuffing of inside wheel on turning does not count as a skid.) Skid of the front tractor wheel will not count until the skid equals or is greater than the width of the tire.	______ x 50	______
Mounting and Dismounting Safely
Failure to set brakes before dismounting (Transmission set in park or locked position counts as brakes locked)	______ x 50	______
Failure to bring tractor to complete stop before dismounting.	______ x 100	______
Other Safety
Using tobacco products	______ x 100	______
Extra riders	______ x 100	______
Other unsafe practices	______ x 100	______
TOTAL SAFETY PENALTY POINTS		______

Contestant's Number __________________

Name: _____________________________

State ______________________________

Event No. IV Lawn Tractor Operation

Scoring	Number Times	Penalty Points
Each stop or slightest interruption in the continuous movement of the machine, where not required by the course	______ x 10	______
Each change of direction other than necessary	______ x 10	______
Each occurrence where any part of the machine extends over the boundaries of the course	______ x 10	______
Each occurrence of hitting a marker	______ x 20	______
Each occurrence of knocking a marker over. (Moving the marker the greater part of one inch or more will be considered knocking the marker over)	______ x 40	______
Riding the clutch: Continuously Riding the clutch: Occasionaly	100 ______ x 10	______ ______
Each grating of gears/failure to release parking brake	______ x 10	______
Each engine stall or raced	______ x 10	______
Each failure to follow directions	______ x 5	______
Each marker passed when operating outside of the two inches allowed mowing around the curb	______ x 10	______
Measurements
Inches (to the nearest inch) from the stop-stake over 1 inch (measured from the most forward part of the tractor)	______ x 2	______
Inches (to the nearest 1/2 inch) the tractor is off center in the shed	______ x 2	______
Time in excess of 8 minutes, 100 points. Each minute thereafter, 100 points.	100 per minute	______
Total Operation Penalty Points		______

Course Diagram

Contestant's Number: _____________	Name: __________________________
	State: ___________________________

Contestant's Number: _________________	Name: ________________________
	State: ________________________