SIDNEY – The 29th Annual Buckeye Farm Antiques show at the Shelby County Fairgrounds is set for Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27.
This year, the show will feature International Harvester tractors and equipment with International-made engines, according to board member Esther Gaier, of Jackson Center.
They will also be hosting the 25th anniversary of the International Harvester’s Ohio Chapter 6. Gaier said the group was organized and became founded at the Buckeye Farm Antiques show, then held in Auglaize County.
Mrs. Gaier and her husband, Dennis “Red” Gaier, are founding members of the organization that now touts some 400 members. It began in 1988 with 36 founding members. She said only a few of the founding members will be able to attend this year.
In the beginning, the show was part of the Auglaize County Fair providing a display of threshing machines. When it grew in popularity, the group began their own shows.
Two years ago, the show was moved to Shelby County when they were unable to secure the Auglaize County Fairgrounds, where it had been held for many years.
Admission is $5 for those 13 and older. Those 12 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
Events and craft presentations include threshing and a corn shelling demonstration along with wood sculpture, primitive crafts, blacksmithing, sawmill and shingle mill demonstrations, craft and flea market and a parts area.
An antique tractor pulls in Divisions I and II will be held Friday. On Saturday, a consignment sale is set for 9 a.m. and a truck, tractor, and semi pull at 3 p.m.
On Sunday, the Western Ohio Garden Tractors Pullers club will sponsor a Late Model Out of the Field tractor pull. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Ninth Annual Antique Car-Truck-Motorcycle show will be held.
For the first time, a youth tractor pull will be held for youngsters aged 12-16 is set for 10 a.m. Sunday.
Free entertainment will also be provided. On Friday, ventriloquist and juggler Mike Hemmelgarn will be on stage at 7 p.m. in addition to strolling the grounds. On Saturday, The Al Best Band from Lima will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. On Sunday, clowns Joy Jingles and her daughter will be part of a Kid’s Day event.
The International Harvester Company was manufacturer of farming and construction equipment, trucks, and household and commercial products. In 1902, J.P. Morgan merged the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, and Deering Harvester Company along with three smaller agricultural equipment firms, to form International Harvester.
In 1985, International Harvester sold off most of its agricultural division to Tenneco, Inc., which merged into its subsidiary J.I. Case under the Case IH brand. Following the terms of IH’s agreement with Tenneco, International Harvester became Navistar International Corporation in 1986.
For more information, the organization can be found online at www.buckeyefarmantiques.com.
