Mike Adams (right), Host of AgriTalk was the celebrity announcer of the celebrity tractor race. He and I talked about the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race right before it got started. AgriTalk producer, John Herath, got this photo of us sporting our Frogg Toggs to keep cool.
This was Mike’s second year as the emcee for the race and once again he did a great job of keeping track of all the competitors and entertaining the crowd for an event that lasted several hours. Mike does tend to kid the competitors and I was afraid for him at one point when he made a sarcastic comment to one of the Tennessee Titan guys who drove in the race. Let’s just say he could have come up on stage and picked Mike up and thrown across the race track. But he smiled and waved instead.
Listen to my interview with Mike: cma-08-mike-adams.mp3
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
The winners of the 21st 
I also got the chance to visit with last year’s grand champions, Mike and Patty Kidwell of Missouri – the first two time winners – who were not actually competing themselves this year but helping daughter Jeanie and her husband Justin Duett. 
My latest road trip ended at the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race in Nashville, TN. So this week’s program has been produced there and includes an event wrap-up with Michael.
Michael Peterson has become a good friend after I’ve had so many opportunities to work with him since this event started 3 years ago. Today he got the crowd fired up as they enjoyed the competition and seeing some of their favorite artists get up on a tractor and for the most part, do real well. 
Joe Jobe, CEO of the 
The winner of the 2008 Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race is Darby Ledbetter with a time of 47 seconds. He pretty much blew away the competition. Here’s Darby on the New Holland tractor with Michael Peterson (left).
If you missed it then you missed it. AgWired Live TV broadcast today’s Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race from the Chevy Zone at the CMA Music Fest.
A well-run media center can make all the difference in the world when it comes to covering an event – and the World Pork Expo media center was exceptional. 
Leah tells me that 75-100 media register for WPX each year, with another 50-60 often coming in “depending on the dignitary who shows up for the event.” This year that was Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner and one interview Leah set up with him was for MSNBC.
Laura posted a 
The first band on the Chevy Music Stage this morning here at Fan Fair was Michael Peterson’s. He attracted a big crowd. The seats were filled and people gravitated there since you could hear the music up and down the street. Last year Michael performed on the Riverfront Stage.