Whistling Dixie - Mowers on Parade

If clowns ride bikes – scooters, motorcycles and even tricycles – why not mowers?

Bill Oswald has found a new use for zero-turn mowers – and he’s not clowning around. The Lexington, Ky.-based dealer realized his Dixie Chopper mowers could do more than make tall grass short. Dixie Chopper donated eight mowers for him and seven other “Jamil Jokers” from the Shrine Jamil Temple in Columbia, S.C. The group entertains parade-goers with drill formations, showing off the mowers’ maneuverability.

“The parades are usually on Saturday mornings, and I haul most of the mowers myself – putting three in the truck and three on a trailer,” Oswald explains. He and the Jamil Jokers might drive three to four hours to participate in a parade, traveling around the state to nearly 20 parades. They make annual appearances at three Shriner parades.

“We’ll put on our clown costumes and line up with our Dixie Choppers and drive around in all kinds of formations,” he describes, adding that the group didn’t have time to practice different routines. But the fancy moves still please the crowds – and the clown costumes certainly draw attention.

The author is a contributing editor to Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at khampshire@lawnandlandscape.com.