/usr/web/www.marshallindependent.com/wp-content/themes/coreV2/single.php
×

Cowboy with big heart drives entry in Box Car Days parade in honor of friend

In memory of his good cowboy friend Eugene Schrunk, Gary Johns drives a black brockle face mechanical steer in the Tracy Box Car Days parade on Monday.

TRACY — One of the most unique entries in the 90th annual Box Car Days parade on Monday afternoon was a mechanical steer driven by Tracy native Gary Johns.

Johns, a cowboy with a big heart, drove the restored steer in its first-ever parade — and he did so in memory of his good friend, Eugene “Gene” Schrunk, who died two years ago at the age of 60.

“Gene would be in Heaven if he saw this thing running,” Johns said.

Tracy parade watcher Derek Walters, who knew Schrunk, had a confident reply.

“He’s watching you — don’t worry,” Walters said.

Johns purchased the drivable steer — a red and white Hereford in rough shape — at Schrunk’s second auction, which was held in May.

“It was a red and white Hereford before, but we made it black brockle face,” Johns said. “That’s when you’ve got the goggle eyes. It’s basically a black white-face.”

On the back of the contraption where Johns sat to drive the steer were three names: Ned, Slim and Gus.

“Ned Tucker found this thing on a sale way up north,” Johns said. “Slim Small went and bought it. And then Gus Jenkins was dumb enough to buy it and restore it.”

Johns grinned just then and had to admit that those were just western nicknames.

“Ned Tucker is Nick Kissner,” he said. “Slim Smalls, that’s Gene’s western name. And Gus Jenkins is my western name.”

Johns couldn’t say how many hours he put in toward restoring the mechanical steer, which was originally made by Mechanical Animated Animals, Inc., but it was an extremely time-consuming labor of love.

“It was most of the summer — some nights until 1 o’clock in the morning,” Johns said. “Greg Lanoue also helped a lot.”

After purchasing the one-of-a-kind item, Schrunk only had time to put new wheels on it, so there was a lot of restoration to be done. Eventually, Johns ended up taking the motor to Redwood to have it redone. Then it was time for Buzzy — the name he decided to call the steer — to get some exterior work done.

“Tim Mitchell, from Garvin, did the fiberglass work and fixed the ear and the hole in the nose,” Johns said. “He did the fiberglass work and then he painted the body.”

Next, Johns employed the expertise of Taunton native Patti Jeremiason.

“She paints our ranch signs and she’s the one that paints all the windows for holidays in towns,” he said. “I gave her a picture out of a magazine and she did the face and all the detail.”

Overall, Johns said he was really proud of how the project turned out. He also feels fortunate to have gotten it finished on time — on the day he bought the mechanical steer, he vowed to have it ready for this year’s Box Car Days parade.

“I told a guy I know I was going to ride a steer in the parade,” Johns said. “He bet me a beer that I wouldn’t. I stopped along the parade route and said I could taste that beer already.”

While the cow-mobile has good speed, can spin around and make real cow sounds, it’s actually quite difficult to operate, according to Johns.

“I can guarantee you, there aren’t many people in this world that can drive this through a parade,” he said.

“I’ve driven enough hydrostatic swathers to know. This does not have any brakes. If you want to stop her, you have to bring it into reverse.”

Johns calls the contraption a “little touchy.”

“If I put the average person in this, it would be all over the place,” Johns said. “You’d be running into stuff. It’s that bad. So nobody rides in this and there’s only two people that can drive it right now and that’s me and Greg. I have too much time invested into it to let anyone wreck it.”

After the parade, Johns planned to drive it around Tracy.

“I’m going to take it down to the beer tent now,” he said. “I’m going to drive it up there.”

While the Tracy Box Car Days parade was the first, Johns said he’s anticipating taking Buzzy out for a few more runs this year.

“I’m going to go to Minneota (Boxelder Bug Days) next week,” Johns said.

Walters then suggested Johns attend Southwest Minnesota State University’s 50th Anniversary parade, which begins at 11 a.m. on Sept. 30 in Marshall.

“If I know when it is, I’ll be there,” Johns said.

And Gene Schrunk’s memory will no doubt be along for the ride.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today