The West Otago Vintage Club wanted to break the Guinness Book of World Records' world record for the most vehicles with self-laying tracks working in one paddock.
All week, some 600 tracked vehicles arrived by truck and trailer, including 11 from the North Island, to a paddock on Marilyn and George Redditt's farm just north of Tapanui.
They were offloaded on specially built loading ramps and placed into a staging area until the big day.
At 10am, the first of the bulldozers, diggers and earthmovers were moved into position.
One by one, each vehicle entered the paddock under a digger guard of honour and was given a number and directed to a specific spot.
Just after 2pm, the drivers were told to start their engines and at 2.30pm, a cannon sounded and each and every machine began chugging around its set route.
Although it would take a while to get official word that a record had been set, organiser Charlie Davis was confident the planning and work would pay off.
He said the West Otago Vintage Club was ‘‘over the moon'' at the response to the record bid.
‘‘The atmosphere was unbelievable. We had 503 machines and we understand we have set a record.
‘‘The people didn't want to go home - they didn't want to do anything else except watch the tractors.'' - By Mandy Bean
