“I’ve been pulling garden tractors for three years,” said Dodge County Fair exhibitor and Beaver Dam FFA member, Reese Schuett, Beaver Dam, Wis. “When I was little, I went pulling with my Dad and his buddies, and then I started doing it.”

Motivation is an attribute Schuett possesses, especially when it comes to this project. “I’ve always been good mechanically, and I wanted to build my own pulling garden tractor from the ground up to get more competitive.”

“Last year, I got the fabrication done, and then I painted it over the winter,” added Schuett. “I took parts to school to 3D model them in a program called Onshape. Then I cut them on the laser table.” His teacher, Mr. Kutzler, helped him with that.

The next step was assembling the tractor. “One of my favorite things was putting it together, but one of the hardest things was learning how to weight it, so it balances down the track.”

Once Schuett started using the tractor, several learning opportunities appeared. “At first, I was having issues with the transmission and other things, but I worked at getting things fixed up and began to improve. Then the gears in the transmission broke in a recent pulling competition. I fixed it within 24 hours and was back to pulling in another event.”

Schuett plans to continue improvements on the tractor. “I know I can do better at pulling. It’s been a learning experience; I’ve logged more than 1,000 hours. My Dad helped for most of the project during late nights and at pulls.”

As a type-1 diabetic, Schuett pulls to raise awareness. “I have shirts that say, ‘Pulling for a cure.’” He feels fortunate to be able to use his pulling efforts for a cause so close to his heart using skills that come naturally to him. “I have a lot of projects at home that are all mechanical. This is what I do.”

Fair visitors can see Schuett’s blue-ribbon-winning pulling garden tractor in the youth building during the Dodge County Fair, which continues through Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. Learn more about fair activities at www.dodgecountyfairgrounds.com.

Written by Dori Lichty — farm wife, 4-H Mom, and full-time communicator