The Western Missouri Antique Tractor and Machinery Association is hosting it's 40th Annual Show June 22-24, 2018 at Frontier Village in Adrian, MO. Below is a brief rundown of the weekend's activities. Following that is a little bit of history on the forming of the association. This info is courtesy of Don Arndt.
We will have our classic tractor pull (1939-1959) on Friday, June 22, at 5:00PM (all eight classes). Weigh in at 3:00PM. Saturday, June 23rd, we will have an antique tractor pull (1938 & older) starting at 5:00PM, weight in at 3:00PM. All eight rubber tire tractor classes will pull first, then the eight steel wheel classes after that.
Yes, we WILL be pulling rubber tire antique tractors as well as steel wheel tractors!
We will be awarding trophies for First Place in each class!
Farm Stock Tractors Only, no modified/hot fuel/bored over tractors (except what's required to get rid of cylinder pitting obviously...let's face it...these tractors are old!) Our club loves to showcase what these machines were capable of back in the day, in keeping with our desire to preserve our agricultural heritage.
We've traditionally held our antique pull on Sunday afternoon. However, due to YOUR feedback, we have changed up the schedule. We can't wait to see the antique tractors come out of the woodwork for our Saturday Night pull!! (info pulled from Facebook)
In 1975 a small group of 6 men gathered together during the annual tractor pull which was a fund raiser for the Adrian Mo Optimist Club. These men put on a tiny show as part of the event using their vintage antique tractors. They gathered with six very old tractors brought back from being abandoned in fence rows decades earlier. Each one had been brought back to life for this special occasion where they had a special part of the “tractor pulling show” along with modern farm tractors.
The crowd had responded favorably with the little show that had included an old Wallis, an F20 Farmall, a G John Deere, a B John Deere, a GP John Deere. After the event, there seemed to be an immediate growing interest in antique farm equipment.
In late 1975 when Calvin Field and Don Arndt started talking about forming a “club” of old farm equipment owners. A gathering of about 20 men met at the George Sollars farm under a shade tree where it was unanimously decided to proceed with the formation of the club. A board of 6 men, being led by Don Arndt President and Calvin Field serving as Treasurer and secretary were elected.
Appropriately, the group was formed sitting on buckets, tree stumps and baled hay at the end of a wheat field sitting next to a 1930 tractor.
By the 1976 Bi Centennial celebration, several pieces of antique farm equipment had been brought back to life by these individuals. The little group made a great showing for the 200th year anniversary of the nation.
The club had grown rapidly and within a couple of years had grown to the size that it was decided to Incorporate as a not for profit and also to have a “show” at the Adrian City Park featuring their old equipment which many had restored to their original beauty. Threshing machines, saw mills, grain mills, plows and every kind of farm machine was included.
In late July 1979, the newly formed Western Missouri Antique Tractor and Machinery Association Inc held their first three day show and it was deemed a huge success.
In late 1981, discussions with the City of Adrian began concerning the use of the abandoned acreage on the East edge of the town. In September of 1982 an agreement was made and the annual event was moved to the present day show grounds. The grounds were reclaimed from buck brush, shrubs, trees and being a dumping grounds for years. Members cleaned it up and plowed the entire acreage, disked it and seeded it all. The grass wasn’t up yet when the first building restoration project began with a big project. The Mount Vernon school was moved from several miles west of Passaic Mo to the grounds. Being totally restored to the original condition the old one room school was only the beginning of many huge projects the young group would undertake in the next few years. At least one new building project was completed every year from log cabins to reconstructing store buildings from area small towns and communities.
The huge 1983 show was held on the new grounds enjoying a record crowd attending the 5th annual event. By the late 80’s crowds were numbering from 10,000 to nearly 15, 000 visitors all looking and watching in awe at hundreds of restored vintage equipment operating as they had so many years before.
Membership grew to over 200 in the 1980’s and the building continues yet today while the group holds four major events annually.
Thank you, Don Arndt
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