Tractors Keepin 'er Country

In Ireland, country music is more popular than ever.

A host of new country music stars

have tempted a generation to turn their back on the nightclub,

don their Stetsons, and jive the night away,

from Ballymena to Ballydehob.

This week, we are down at the farm with the men and women

who have two passions in life, country music...

She is easy on the eye, too, so she is.

..and tractors.

This is my... The rear end, as I call it.

With all roads leading to a Donegal festival that combines them both...

When the farmer lands here,

he has no call to go home until Monday morning.

These young farmers won't want to stall the digger.

I am like a wean in a toy shop.

With world records at stake...

A thousand plus tractors in this field, fingers crossed.

Will these tractor-lovers be sucking diesel...

Words cannot explain. I am clean buzzing.

..or left feeling banjaxed?

Going to say a couple of prayers.

Welcome to the agricultural world of Irish country music.

If you are a young farmer working 16-hour days,

you live for your nights out.

Long days. We go up there at six o'clock in the morning

and you might not get finished until eight o'clock at night.

It is good to get out and let yourself go for a while.

Being brought up in the countryside defines your musical taste.

I'm not a big fan of Justin Bieber myself, no,

more traditional Irish, or American country keeps me going, so it does.

Well, he's no Justin Bieber, thankfully,

but out in the sticks one artist in particular can pull a huge crowd.

Ritchie Remo!

Let's put our hands together...

Ritchie Remo, from Claudy, is a country music pin-up.

His song Hit The Diff has become something of a young farmers' anthem.

When you listen to the radio and Hit The Diff comes on, you feel like you're in your prime.

If you are in the tractor, it is so catchy,

-you are driving along and you can dance your way and you can jive to it.

-Yeah.

But even on nights out,

these young men and women still love to talk farming

and they are precious when it comes to their tractors.

My favourite tractor without a doubt is John Deere. Aye.

-Definitely has to be New Holland.

-No. Definitely SAME.

The best tractor is a Massey Ferguson.

As the saying goes, three steps into heaven, you cannot beat that.

-No other yoke for the job.

-The SAME will pull the ass out of any New Holland.

If's she's not blue, she won't do!

If she's not red, keep her in the shed.

# Oh, hit the diff and pray

# That she goes all the way

# When I'm flat to the mat with my party hat... #

Given the popularity of country music with young farmers

the Whitecross Vintage Tractor Association in Donegal

are ploughing ahead with preparations

for their big festival weekend.

Fields, Alan. Have you been down at the fields recently?

-Hopefully in the next ten days or so...

-Right.

They hope their country music and vintage tractor festival

will entice enthusiasts from all over Ireland and beyond.

Where are we with the tractor numbers?

This guy from Scotland has registered.

He has three tractors, and this other one from Scotland has enquired as well.

-I've a tractor coming from Iceland, too.

-Oh, very good.

But only farmers who drive a particular type of tractor are welcome.

Your Ford, your John Deere, your New Holland,

leave them all home, they are not wanted,

the modern Massey, leave her at home.

If she ain't red, keep her in the shed.

Keep them all in the shed,

pre '86 Fergusons only.

Hopefully, the field we're standing in now,

there will be at least 1,000 tractors, plus.

And within 15 to 20 minutes that 30-acre field will turn

from a nice gold colour to pure brown,

with the soil being overturned with the tractors working it.

The weekend will also offer farmers the chance

to swap their wellies for their best jiving shoes.

A big weekend of country music.

Ritchie Remo is performing, Jim Devine.

When the farmer lands here,

he has no call to go home until Monday morning.

But the music isn't the festival's main draw.

The organisers are hoping to break two world records

involving vintage Ferguson tractors.

The first record of the day is going to be the Massey Ferguson logo,

and we need 500-plus Fergusons to make the Ferguson logo

and when that takes place, then the main world record is going to take place on the Saturday,

and we will have 1,000-plus tractors in this field, fingers crossed,

tilling the ground,

they have to all work for a minimum of 15 minutes.

If they are to break it,

they would be bettering their own record, set two years ago,

which was an emotional experience for organiser Alan.

We got out on that field and had 726 tractors behind us...

..when I got off my tractor and walked up to my girlfriend,

and I just cried like a wean, it was that emotional.

I never had a feeling like it in me life.

The Whitecross festival will be a chance

for 17-year-old Dungiven girl Chloe

to take a well-earned break from her hectic schedule.

There is no stop. It's go, go, go from day to day.

Even if it is hail, rain, snow,

you are up from half three in the morning

and that is maybe you through until seven o'clock at night.

We just enjoy what we do.

Like, I love it. Like, I could never change.

I'm a country girl at heart and that's just that.

The festival will be a chance for her

to indulge in her greatest passion.

I have always been a tractor girl, like.

Like, at silage time, I am like a wean in a toy shop.

There is nowhere Chloe would rather be

than in the cab of her vintage Massey.

There is no better feeling than sitting on the tractor, cruising about the roads,

and looking around you and seeing people you meet on other tractors.

"My tractor is better than yours."

It is just great craic, like.

There's no better feeling than being in a tractor.

Like, I would pick a tractor any day over a car.

Such is Chloe's love for her Massey Ferguson, she's taken it indoors.

I have this, now, on my wall about a year ago and I was just...

It looked too bare whenever I was lying in bed at night and I said,

"Do you know what? I need something on it."

And it just clicked in my head, I says, "I want a Massey poster."

The first day I got it I had it plastered on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat.

You would not think a 17-year-old would have this in her room,

but I'm not just any ordinary 17-year-old girl.

I am a tractor-mad, in the brain,

17-year-old girl.

Chloe's 1969 Massey 135 is always kept spick and span.

This is my... The Wee Red Lady, as I call her, and

my pride and joy.

This is the polish I get for her, Mr Sheen.

It is basically furniture polish but it brings her up in some shine.

Chloe is hoping her little Red Lady will shine brightly at the world-record attempt.

I really want to take the Wee Red Lady down to be part of this world record.

There's everything I want, there's tractors, there's jiving at it,

and it is just going to be unreal.

Roll on three weeks' time.

# It takes a special breed

# To be a truck-driving man

# And a steady hand to pull that load behind... #

In Roscommon, Stephen Regan is also preparing his tractor

for the world-record attempt but his 1956 Ferguson T20

needs a little more than some spit and polish.

Now, this is the Ferguson Hunter we want to do up.

As Grandad used to call it, the Grey Horse.

She was nicknamed the Grey Horse

because she was the first replacement after a horse.

There was nothing else around at the time.

And if it was a horse it would've been put down long ago.

As you can see, this tractor has parked up the last ten years, so it is.

It needs a fair bit of work.

There is a fair bit of water in the oil.

As you can see, it is not a great combination.

The tank is leaking. I can see the radiator is also leaking.

The fan belt has ravelled.

The exhaust doesn't look too healthy.

There is no seat in the tractor.

The steering wheel is a bit ate away.

Accelerator disconnected. It needs four new tyres.

She needs a full re-spray and an engine rebuild and a radiator.

It is a monumental job

but it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Stephen.

Country music and tractors together

and everything to do with farming all under the one heading, in one field.

So I said, "Damn it, I'll do it, like."

Surely to God there'll be good-looking women in it, too, like.

You don't know. Might get a future wife.

There's only one thing Stephen loves more than his tractors

and that's country music nights out.

I love the country music.

I love going to see the likes of Patrick Feeney and Michael English especially.

They've great lively music.

And Lisa McHugh. She's easy on the eye, too, so she is.

He is not much of a dancer.

I love dancing, but my steering is a bit off,

so I just keep it nice and steady, keep in first gear.

And he won't have time to learn because he has got a tractor to fix.

Sure it needs doing and you'll battle through it.

Given the difficulty of loading it onto the trailer...

How's it looking at the back there?

..having a fully functional tractor in just four weeks

might be a little ambitious.

You were going too fast. You were going too fast.

It will be all right. Pull it up there, it'll be all right.

Always my fault, never his.

But Stephen's Uncle Tom seems to think that it'll all be grand.

Mechanically it is OK but it's just...

Everything you see that is wrong, I'd say, is nearly all that is wrong,

except maybe do the brakes and a few things and tyres.

And, of course, we'll have to re-spray it.

# Mowing, lifting Sowing, bailing

# Drawing, hauling... #

Farmers' favourite Ritchie Remo

has a distinctly agricultural take on country music.

And as befits a man who sings about all things tractor,

he's performing at this year's Whitecross world-record attempt.

# Oh, hit the deck and pray that she goes all the way... #

But even though he's the entertainment,

Ritchie can't turn up without a Ferguson of his own.

The plan was, originally,

I was going to take the Massey out of the Hit The Diff video

but that doesn't actually qualify for the world-record attempt

because it is not pre '86.

But if you live in Claudy,

you're never more than half a mile away from a vintage tractor.

Hello, Alan. it's Ritchie Remo.

Yes, Richard. Are you all right?

Not too bad, Alan. I'll tell you what it is,

I'm needing a tractor, basically, that's pre '86 for this world-record attempt.

-Yes.

-Would you have anything about you there?

I have a 1949 TVO Ferguson.

You could eat your dinner off her.

That is great. That is what I need, anyway.

I'm needing something that can take me that length.

Is she going well enough too?

She is going like a new spanner.

That's brilliant.

-How is she going?

-Well, Richard. Hi, how are you?

Not so bad. Is this it here?

This is the one I told you you could eat your dinner off.

-She's a good one.

-She's shining like a new pin.

She will be a great job for it.

She is my pride and joy.

-If I give you this, you will look after her?

-I will look after her.

I might even get a fish supper and eat it off the bonnet here.

I am glad to get her out, as long as he takes care of her, now.

I would not want to see you doing her any harm.

He was used to these ones that hit the diff now,

but this is a lot older

and there's not the same poke in these as there was in the one in Hit The Diff.

It may not have the same poke

but Ritchie can still give it some welly.

# Driving all night Too many miles to go

# Pedal to the metal Listen to the radio

# I've got three day to get from Cheyenne to San Antone

# That's the life of the cowboy ridin' the rodeo

# Yeah, that's the life of the cowboy, ridin' the rodeo. #

With his vintage tractor sorted,

Ritchie will lead a convoy from Claudy and Dungiven

to the world-record attempt in Donegal.

How did you enjoy that?

Oh, she's going like a clock. She's a great yoke altogether.

I am looking forward to leading this convoy in her now.

In Roscommon, Stephen is hoping his 1956 Ferguson

will be ready in time to take part

but the festival is only around the corner

and his tractor has seen better days.

Today is Monday, and tractor run is on Friday, so it is.

So it is not really looking good for us now.

Miracles could happen, you never know.

Going to Knock, now, and say a couple of prayers.

Divine intervention may be Stephen's only hope at this stage.

# So take a look at these hardworking hands

# Ain't they the measure of any man?

# They do the best that they can

# With what they have... #

There is a lot of problems as you go along.

There is just always something going wrong.

When it comes to tractor repairs, it looks like Stephen's on his own.

You can't help me with this brake.

I know. This is getting out of hand.

If there was already pressure, now the flood gates have opened.

That's all I have, is one sandbag to keep the water out.

It's getting bad now, so it is.

There's a flood in Donegal, too.

The typical Irish summer is playing havoc with plans

for the world-record attempt.

Every one of these posts is in a lot of water.

Well, there's just a lot of tracks there and stuff, so...

These tramlines hold the water the weather badly, but...

With thousands of people expected to turn up,

organiser Derek is worried about where the people will camp and park.

I'm really concerned about the weather.

We had savage rain here today, and you just have to see the fields,

the ground conditions.

It is just unbelievable, the amount of rain that has fell.

It's leaving my stomach turning now,

because this is a very, very large event,

with people coming from all over the whole country.

But Alan is remaining positive.

With luck, the sun will be splitting the rocks that there will be baled on Thursday.

And plan A will be in action.

-By 11 o'clock,...

-You were on about a T-shirt on you.

Meanwhile, in Dungiven, Chloe and best friend Caitlin

are getting ready to hit the road to Donegal for the festival.

Oh, hey, aye, I'm so up for this now.

I just can't wait to get away now.

Who's playing? I think it's Johnny Buckley tonight.

Johnny Buck tonight, John Devine in the morning.

What footwear are you bringing?

I think I'll bring flats and heels.

We'll probably more likely wear the flats.

You need to bring your wellies, too.

With their bags full to bursting,

it's time to pack the most important accessory for the weekend.

Right, I'll get her ready.

# You can take me out of the country

# But you can't take the country out of me... #

With Chloe's little Red Lady safely on the back of a low-loader...

# Keep it in the middle of the road

# Let's keep it in the middle of the road... #

A few miles away, in Claudy,

Ritchie Remo is leading a convoy of three vintage yokes

the 15 miles to Carrigans in Donegal.

We're very excited here.

We've a convoy here, all with my father,

and we're going to hit the diff.

Every tractor will count

when the world-record attempt gets under way tomorrow.

# On the straight and narrow

# Stay together Just like a bow and arrow

# Heading in the right direction. #

But in Roscommon, Stephen's tractor is far from roadworthy.

I don't know where we're at, to be honest.

I'm a long way off, like.

It's a race against time,

so it's all hands to the pump and the brakes

and the gears and the engine.

A lot of us working on the job, two of us here

and there is another fellow building the engine up there,

and there's another fellow doing the spraying.

So there's four men on it, two days, that's eight days' work,

so you weigh it up, we'll have it done.

As the day goes on, things are starting to come together.

We're just after giving three coats of paint to the mudguards, the seat,

the bonnet, and he just has the wheels primed at the moment.

But all this effort will be worth it

for a tractor that's been in the family for 60 years.

I still remember hauling turf for Grandad from the bog

and seeing him shaking out here.

It was a lovely sight to see

and just memories coming back in a flash.

It's just like a person in our family now.

So it means an awful lot to us and if we get it going,

it will be mighty, like.

The gearbox and the back end is all sprayed up.

It'll all be around,

all the shafts are sprayed up

and the engine up there has been rebuilt.

So, two to three hours, we'll have rigged it up,

slot in the engine, with a few bits and bobs to put on.

The likes of the exhaust, the fuel tank on, and get her straight.

As Stephen waits on his refurbished engine,

in Donegal the rain has cleared

and the first night of the vintage tractor festival

gets underway with Jimmy Buckley.

For organiser Derek, things are looking up.

It's really coming together and it's just a brilliant night,

and I think everybody's in there, everybody is dancing,

the big marquee is full.

As Jimmy Buckley brings the house down,

Chloe and Caitlin are struggling to put theirs up.

That looks like a black bin liner.

I'm going to be late for Jimmy Buckley at this rate,

and I'm here for the jive, woman, not putting up a tent.

That's like algebra to me.

Stabilise it now!

As Jimmy Buckley finishes his set, the girls finally get their tent up

but it's just as well you don't need a dance floor at this festival

to have a good time.

# If I could I'd build a wall around old Donegal

# The north and south to keep them out

# My God, I'd build it tall

# Casinos, chicken ranches I'd legalise them all

# We'd have our own Las Vegas in the hills of Donegal... #

As Chloe and Caitlin jive into the wee small hours,

in Roscommon, Stephen and Uncle Tom

are putting the finishing touches to the T20 rebuild.

As the last nuts and bolts are tightened, it's the moment of truth.

Right, Shane. Just try again.

ENGINE TURNS OVER

Try there, now.

ENGINE TURNS OVER

It may look the part, but this 1956 Ferguson is going nowhere soon.

ENGINE TURNS OVER

With the record attempt now only hours away,

the time has run out for the old Grey Horse.

It's sticking in the bump.

-Right.

-That's why it's not injecting.

It's a great disappointment, now,

all the work and effort that went into it, like,

for it to boil down to this.

But the boys haven't worked this hard to give up now.

They need a replacement tractor.

Would Kevin Shanley have one?

I'll ring Shanley, so I will, and see.

Ring Kevin Shanley and see. Would he be up for this one?

You have. What's it like? Is it all right? Ah, sound.

Just great because, you know, if we get it out tomorrow,

we'll take part either way.

It's just a great disappointment we won't get this.

# We're from the country and we like it that way... #

It's the morning of the world-record attempts,

and people are arriving from near and far

with their vintage Fergusons.

HORN BLARES

Just trying to get all these tractors on the road and...

Well, we're managing.

# That's where I'm from and I'm proud to say

# We're from the country and we like it that way... #

It would seem Ferguson tractors come in all colours and all sizes.

NEEDLE SCRATCH, MUSIC STOPS

In the camping field,

Chloe and Caitlin are feeling the effects of their late night.

Oh, Cait, last night was class.

My feet are so sore.

But they've no time to feel sorry for themselves.

There's work to be done.

Why don't you go down and get my Wee Red Lady registered.

We've two world records to break, sure.

# We're from the country and we like it that way... #

As registration begins for the first record attempt,

the largest number of tractors to create the Massey Ferguson logo,

Stephen arrives with a tractor he's managed to borrow for the event.

Here we are, Tom. Here we go.

We were very disappointed last night,

but Tom didn't get too carried away, like.

The tractor wasn't going to disappear.

When we picked up this tractor for the day, it was all on anyway.

For the first world record,

more than 500 tractors must park in exact position

to create the legendary Massey Ferguson logo.

And Chloe's Wee Red Lady is safely in her spot.

Seeing all these tractors, I'm like a wean in a toy shop, like.

It's just class.

And from above the tractors do look like toys.

It's a sight to behold.

With the first record attempt out of the way,

tractors continue to arrive for the main event.

You've got to head over there.

The organisers need over 1,000 Fergusons ploughing the same field

in order to set a new world record, and Derek is optimistic.

Very busy, a lot of vehicles coming in.

So we're hoping the best we can now.

But there's an awful lot of people here.

But they could already be a tractor down.

In their hurry, Stephen and Uncle Tom have forgotten

a crucial piece of equipment.

-Are we supposed to bring a plough, are we?

-I never thought of the plough.

Why didn't you mention it?

# And I hate to beg like a dog for a bone but I'm busted. #

Without a plough, Stephen and his tractor can't take part,

so Tom goes off to search.

I'm looking for a plough.

Would that be a plough?

-Only one plough.

-What is it you are looking for, anyway?

Anything at all. If you go down to that field down there,

you'll have no bother getting a two by four plough.

-You wouldn't be able to give me the lend of a plough, would you?

-No, no, I can't.

Any possibility I could get a plough off you, or a harrow, or anything?

-If it's any use to you.

-Ah, yeah, that'll do grand, yeah.

It's not a plough, but a harrow is the next best thing.

As the tractors begin to assemble,

farmers' favourite Ritchie Remo

is warming up the crowd with his agricultural anthem.

# Oh, hit the deck and pray

# That she goes all the way

# When I'm flat to the mat with the party hat

# Heading for the Tay

# They thought that we were quitting... #

Chloe and Caitlin are gearing up for the highlight of their day.

We've just broke the local world record and now we're moving on.

We're going to do the ploughing and break the old record.

It's been a good day so far, everybody is enjoying themselves.

That's the main thing, so.

# Oh, give me a yoke with plenty of poke

# And a can of Easy Start

# And 1,500 acres hauling 40 tonnes of grass... #

We'll have a good bit of craic now, we'll rip the field open.

# Hillbilly-bone-bone-a-bone-bone Hillbilly-bone-bone-a-bone-bone

# Hillbilly-bone-bone-a-bone-bone #

The record attempt is underway.

The largest number of vintage Fergusons

simultaneously ploughing a field.

# I got a friend in New York City He'd never heard of Conway Twitty

# Don't know nothing about grits and grains

# He's never been south of Queens... #

Organiser Derek is enjoying the scenery.

There's all shapes of tractors, TAT 20s and 35s, and 185s.

It's just unbelievable to see them.

Look at the yellow one here just passing.

A TEF 20 diesel Roadrunner.

All his hard work seems to have paid off.

I'm overwhelmed by the whole thing.

I'm standing in the middle of it now

and the tractors actually going round,

just going round past us, as you see there.

One of those going round is Chloe's little Red Lady.

# Nah, you ain't got to be born out in the sticks

# With a F-150 and a 30-06

# Or have a Bubba in the family tree

# To get on down with me

# Yeah, Bubba, all you need is an open mind

# If it fires you up, you got to let it shine... #

Stephen's up and running too.

# When it feels so right that it can't be wrong

# Come on, come on, come on

# You ain't alone

# We all got a hillbilly bone deep inside... #

But not for long.

It's unlike a farmer to throw money away,

but Stephen somehow manages it.

Despite the dangers of being mowed down by a vintage tractor,

this boy isn't losing 20 quid.

With the money safely back in his pocket,

Stephen is back ploughing his furrow.

It will be a few weeks before a record can be confirmed,

but Derek is confident of success.

If we haven't done it, we'll be very close to it

but I think we'll have it, I think.

Whether it's a world record or not,

it's clear these tractor-lovers have had a great day.

It was absolutely class. Nobody...

Words can't explain, like, I'm clean buzzing.

I love the smell of these,

if only the Green Party could come in now and smell the diesel burning.

As long as they don't put any emission tax on tractors,

or else we'd be all frigged, so we would!

# They'll grow your groceries Haul a load

# Pull you out and fix the road

# They're good at slowing speeders down

# When they pass through from out of town

# I'll live out in the country happily ever after

# I got everything I need Cos I got friends with tractors. #