“Ride the Champion” — Kiddie Horse Ride

Children’s coin-operated rides first appeared on the scene in the late 1940’s. At that time, cowboys were all the rage, and the most famous of all was Gene Autry. For every child aspiring to be a cowboy, there was the coin-operated ride named after Autry’s horse, “Champion”. We restored this 1950’s “Ride the Champion” Kiddie Ride here at Vintage Vending. It was working when we got it. It was stripped and repainted. The base was powder-coated and the horse was airbrushed and then clear-coated. The sign was fabricated metal that was meticulously hand painted. We no longer own this whimsical piece, but we’re sure kids still get a great deal of enjoyment from it.

These very popular rides for kids are still being manufactured and used today.

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby. To view more pictures of the completed restoration visit the RetroPlanet.com Museum.