SIDNEY, Neb. – Ernie Bybee of Sidney is heading into mowing season with a brand-new John Deere Z315E ZTrak zero-turn mower, after winning the 5th Annual Off the Rails Mower Giveaway from radio stations 987 The Big Boy and Cheyenne County Country.

The grand prize drawing took place Saturday morning during the Spring Expo at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds, where Bybee’s name was selected live on air and on Facebook.

The contest challenged listeners to guess how far the mower would travel on a single tank of gas, riding east from Kimball to Sidney on Highway 30. Radio staff — escorted by the Nebraska State Patrol in a convoy of Maddox Motor Company vehicles — put the mower to the test in real time.

The final distance was 22.9 miles. Bybee’s guess of 22.8 miles put him in a drawing with fellow finalists Navada Harms of Chappell and Ron Wall of Dix, who both guessed 23 miles.

“Last year, I think I put like 38 miles," Bybee said after winning the mower. "That didn’t work, so I cut it back to 22.8. “I didn’t bring my trailer because I didn’t want to jinx it. Now I gotta go back and get my trailer.”

Bybee, who said he plans to keep doing the mowing for his wife, Sandi, also mentioned the couple has been on a hot streak lately.

“We’ve had some pretty good luck here lately," Bybee said. "I won a rifle at Pheasants Forever. Sandi won a 9mm pistol at the Sidney Shooting Park fundraiser. We’re on a roll.”

Listeners entered the contest by visiting sponsor locations across western Nebraska and northeast Colorado, submitting their best guesses in hopes of winning the mower just in time for spring, including Sutton Home Gallery, Maddox Motor Company and RV Sales, the Logan County Fair & Rodeo, The Rusty Bucket Pub & Grub and Adams Industries.