Fombell man inducted into National Farm Toy Hall of Fame in 2009
With help from Wayne Cooper, antique pedal tractors have been showcased in youth tractor pulls as far away as Alaska.
The pedal tractors most recently took Cooper to Dyersville, Iowa, where he was inducted into the National Farm Toy Hall of Fame in November, 2009.
The ceremony was part of the National Farm Toy Show, hosted by the National Farm Toy Museum and Toy Farmer magazine.
According to museum manager, Amanda Schwartz, Cooper was chosen partly for his longtime efforts to collect and restore the toys. His most notable accomplishments, however, include introducing the tractors to youths throughout the region.
“He was very selfless in the fact that he started all of these pedal pulls for kids to get them interested in farm toys and collecting,” Schwartz said, noting he also repaired and restored more than 500 tractors.
