Pocahontas County High School FFA members Noah Barkley, Mathias Solliday and Robert Ryder competed in the Southeast Regional Tractor Driving Competition November 9 at Greenbrier East High School. The students had to maneuver a tractor and manure spreader around an obstacle course and then back the spreader down a 40-foot alley, in addition to performing safety practices while driving the course. The competition included driving a four-wheeled hay wagon through a course and backing it into a shed with only six inches of clearance on each side. There was also a written test about tractor safety, tractor parts and equipment identification. Barkley placed second, Solliday placed fifth, and Ryder placed seventh. Barkley placed high enough to qualify for a spot in the state tractor driving competition which will be held in July at the State FFA Convention in Cedar Lakes.
