WHCC show location

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

I have been reading back over quite a few posts in some groups/forums and the question that always seems to come up is "why is the WHCC show in PA?".

I won't get into details ('cause I don't know the particulars) but some of the "founders" of the WHCC are from that general area -- or semi-close by. It would only seem reasonable that they would want the show close to home. The fact that the Club has grown to include members from all over the USA, some from Canada, and even from the U.K. is startling, yet not hard to believe when you factor in the "publicity" that Bill Pearson and the others provide. With the event of the internet, the Club soon attracted many additional members who would have never known it existed.

I have lived in PA for almost 39 years and have owned WH tractors for at least 15 years. I found out about the WHCC show 4 years ago from a fellow collector at "my" local show. Prior to that, I didn't even know there was an all WH show.

I made the first trip to Arendtsville in 2006 without taking any tractors. (first mistake! ) I made the second mistake of taking a vehicle that wasn't capable of transporting any "big" purchases back home!

In 2007, a good friend of mine - who used to work as a delivery & set-up person at a Toro/WH dealer -- volunteered to take his motorhome and car trailer. We loaded up 5 of my tractors, and along with his son and my son, we made the 125 mile trip to the show. If all goes as planned, he is supposed to do it again this year, and he wants to take HIS tractor. His son had a blast driving my 633 in the cruise, and we were trying to find a small tractor that he could operate by himself. (I think he was only 5 or 6 last year!)

So -- to get this back on track......

If I want to see the Grand Canyon, I have to go to Arizona. If I want to see Disney World, I have to go to Florida.....

And if I want to see over 600 Wheel Horse tractors all at one show, I have to go to the South Mountain Fairgrounds near Arendtsville, PA. :WRS:

[CasualObserver 3,408]

TT brings up some good points... although... the Grand Canyon isn't on wheels.... it HAS to stay in Arizona! At least a couple of those 600 Wheel Horses are imported to PA every summer!

Personally, I think PA is a good choice for the show. Do I wish it were closer? yes. Do I wish I could go? yes. Do I think it will move in the future? no. I think it will always be the biggest WH only show, and it will always be in PA. Wheel Horse always had a very strong sales presence in PA, and it is fitting for the show to be there. i would say it is probably close to being a central location for about 75% of the collectors who are involved in putting on and participating in the show. Now... that being said... I think it would be AWESOME if at some point, we could manage to get this show held on the grounds of the old factory in South Bend. I've heard that the company that now owns it has absolutely NO interest in allowing that though, and that's a shame. Perhaps as a second choice... the show could move to Bloomington, MN... Toro's current headquarters... but as that is about 1000 miles from it's current location... I don't see that happening either.

So all of that being said.... that's not to say that we as collectors spread across the country can't get involved in other farm/threshing/tractor shows in our own areas, and have small Wheel Horse expo's of our own. There are plenty of them out there... from the Florida Flywheelers in Ft Meade, FL to the Midwest Threshers in Rolag, MN and everywhere in between.

That's what a few of us are doing out in Minnesota this summer. There is a large threshing show that has agreed to host us, and have been most accommodating and proud to include us. They've even give us a special recognition as a "secondary feature"' for this year's show! If you don't know what I'm talking about, or if you're interested in helping or even just displaying/participating... Please check out the bottom thread on the main page. the North Central Wheel Horse Events Club.

[Curmudgeon 28]

The very first "show" was held in a back yard, by the second year, the first time I went, it had grown WAY beyond anyones backyard, so it was moved to the nearby fairgrounds. And it grew from there.

That's my recollection anyway.

Now once you've been there, there is no denying you won't find a better place. The facilities themselves, the general area. It's not that far of a drive to many, many points of interest. This comes in handy to "justify" the trip the woman who wears the pants, or just somewhere for her to go while we play.

As Jason said, a few of us are trying to get something going farther west, right now we are looking at Minnesota as The Pioneer Power Show is hosting us.

Now, wanna hear the big catch? I am involved in getting this "farther west" show going, and it's just over a 700 mile drive for me, SAME AS Pennsylvania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL I'm going to two shows this year, and looking at 3000 miles to do it!

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,315]

Now, wanna hear the big catch? I am involved in getting this "farther west" show going, and it's just over a 700 mile drive for me, SAME AS Pennsylvania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL I'm going to two shows this year, and looking at 3000 miles to do it!

Whatever you do Dale, DONT sit back with a calculator and figure out yer gas costs for those trips !

Mike............

[linen beige 14]

I think it would be AWESOME if at some point, we could manage to get this show held on the grounds of the old factory in South Bend.

I couldn't agree more!

I don't know much about how these shows are run, but would it be possible to gather up enough numbers to pull off an "organized invasion" of the Portland In. swap meet? :dunno:There is strength in numbers, and if enough of us showed up for that, it could lead to a seperate show at least close to the old home place.

[Curmudgeon 28]

Whatever you do Dale, DONT sit back with a calculator and figure out yer gas costs for those trips !

Mike............

Uh, yeah. At 20mpg................... $600. I've already done the math, only I used $4 a gallon. Problem, it's already that, will be more by then. So figure $5 and I'm up to $750. Just for gas!!!!!!!! Bet others can top that though. Hauling in trailers, getting 10MPG.....

Problem number 2. I'm funding it this year with the sale of my Wheel Horse stuff, what happens next year? :D

[BPjunk 184]

OK History lesson time!

The first group of directors for the Wheel Horse Collectors Club did not all live in Pennsylvania, there was two from Ohio, one from Maryland, the president and treasurer are from Pennsylvania, the vice president was from Minnesota and then I live in Virginia. It does help to have board members live close to the show as "leg work" does need to be done.

Why is the Annual Wheel Horse Show in Arendtsville, Pennsylvania? Well because it works, the South Mountain Fairgrounds is secluded enough to have a nice show for us and yet it is near other major attractions. I have been to antique tractor shows all over the country and for the price the club pays the South Mountain Fairgrounds is hard to beat. How many places can you find indoor parking for exhibits or nice showers, a seat to sit in out of the sun, a paved track for a parade, trees for shade, a camping area and lots of other reasons? All of the Annual Wheel Horse Shows have been held at the South Mountain Fairgrounds.

We have been asked by the Union that used to work at Wheel Horse when the company was in South Bend to hold a show in South Bend but some thing happened and they7 never got back with us. What a shame too because I am sure the folks who used to work for Wheel Horse would love to see the old tractors still running.

The only part of the drive I do not like is going through Washington DC, I-95 to I-495 and I-270 is a tough with commuter traffic. I leave at odd ball times so we don't get cought in traffic, I would easly take 100 more miles of driving instead of driving through Washington DC ....... Washington DC is the only place I know of that when you eat at a Kentucky Fried Chicken joint you order and recive your food though a turn wheel table and bullit proof glass!

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[bowtieguy 334]

Ahh Dale, you make my deal sound better all the time....a direct flight from KC to PA for 79 bucks each way.....now if I could only find a bicycle to ride from the airport to the show, it would reall be a good deal.

now for the bad part of the deal....it will cost me more to drive to the KC airport (50 miles)and park my truck for 3 days than it will cost for the plane ticket!!

Geeez, Southwest will probably go out of business and I'll have to walk to the show.

Will tell ya that I attended the 06 show and enjoyed every minute of it...BP introduced me to Mr Pond & to listen to him was worth the whole trip...he had just been to Branson Missouri so we talked "Missouri stuff"

If I remember right, a big rain storm came thru the fairgounds right after I left Sat eve.....so hold off the rain this year as I am NOT packing an unbrella !!!

PS...I vote to keep the show in PA.....gives me a chance to use my "kitchen pass" and get outa town!!

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496]

A lot of good info and history here. I would love to go, but maybe one year I will. For now I just have to live the show through this website and others with the pictures, videos, and stories.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

The only part of the drive I do not like is going through Washington DC, I-95 to I-495 and I-270 is a tough with commuter traffic. I leave at odd ball times so we don't get cought in traffic, I would easly take 100 more miles of driving instead of driving through Washington DC .......

Have you ever tried running RT17 from Fredricksburg up to Winchester, and I-81 North from there, Bill?

I've traveled both routes, and feel the same way about D.C. and the Beltway. It may seem like it's a little out of the way, but it certainly cuts down on the "highway madness". :WRS:

[Curmudgeon 28]

Ahh Dale, you make my deal sound better all the time....a direct flight from KC to PA for 79 bucks each way.....now if I could only find a bicycle to ride from the airport to the show, it would reall be a good deal.

now for the bad part of the deal....it will cost me more to drive to the KC airport (50 miles)and park my truck for 3 days than it will cost for the plane ticket!!

Geeez, Southwest will probably go out of business and I'll have to walk to the show.

Will tell ya that I attended the 06 show and enjoyed every minute of it...BP introduced me to Mr Pond & to listen to him was worth the whole trip...he had just been to Branson Missouri so we talked "Missouri stuff"

If I remember right, a big rain storm came thru the fairgounds right after I left Sat eve.....so hold off the rain this year as I am NOT packing an unbrella !!!

PS...I vote to keep the show in PA.....gives me a chance to use my "kitchen pass" and get outa town!!

Well Frank, if you were to add on the overweight charges of having 6 - fifty pound suitcase weights in your suitcase. A case with a seat, a box with a hood, a crate with a two behind spreader.... I'd wager your ticket would cost more than my gas!!! Not to mention, no parking fee, no rental fee..... I've looked at some of those "cheap" flights, by the time everything is added up, driving costs very little, if anything, more and opens up all kinds of enjoyable possibilities.

Yup, I've flew. I'd much rather drive for a multitude of reasons. LOL

Dale

[Buzz 502]

I've looked at some of those "cheap" flights, by the time everything is added up, driving costs very little, if anything, more and opens up all kinds of enjoyable possibilities.

Yup, I've flew. I'd much rather drive for a multitude of reasons. LOL

Dale

Yeah poor Bruce Marin, he flew in from California in 2006 and won so many raffle prizes that he had to buy another ticket just to get them home. Poor, poor Bruce :whistle:

[HorseFixer 2,012]

I couldn't agree more!

I don't know much about how these shows are run, but would it be possible to gather up enough numbers to pull off an "organized invasion" of the Portland In. swap meet? :dunno:There is strength in numbers, and if enough of us showed up for that, it could lead to a seperate show at least close to the old home place.

Yes that would be nice!! I would only have a 10 mile drive for that one

Duke

[Teddy da Bear 11]

No dissrespect to anyone. But I think most "collectors shows" should be held at the point of origin. In other words South Bend Indiana. If I was a collector of Auburn cars for example....the shows for it should not be held in Seattle Washington. They would be held in Auburn Indiana.

I think the same goes for Studebaker or whatever...

I won't mention the economic factors as reasons for some not to be able to attend. And I do realize South Bend is in my area. But I would feel that way about any special/significant event or collector show.

I also am considering the other factors. Like the folks out in Pennsylvania organized and promoted the show and got it established there.

I guess that leads me to ponder why so few are interested in a local meet and greet.....

I am trying not to sound opinionated....that is just my viewpoint.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

So why don't all of you guys who want a Wheel Horse show at South Bend, IN get together and start a club and hold your own show? Maybe you could talk to "city hall" and make it a historical / memorial recognition event.

You have to have the organization and dedication of members to be able to assemble for a show. You can't expect it to start off with 2 or 3 hundred tractors either.

Like I said before.... the WHCC show in PA isn't held by Toro/Wheel Horse, so anyone can start a club and hold a show anywhere they want.

No matter where it's held, somebody will complain about the location.

It's even tough for me to get to the show in PA and I'm only 130 miles away.

[DMESS 24]

As BP mentioned, when we had our first show back in 98' (y'all remeber that one?) the South Mountain Fairgrounds just turned out to be a convenient place that the club President had access to at the time. Plain and simple, we needed a place to meet and it worked. And it has worked great ever since. We've gone from 65 tractors the first year, to over 600 and the fairgrounds has still been able to accomodate. Now IMO, PA does work pretty well at being somewhat centrally located for the majority of the attendants. I'll assume it tends to be looked at as "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" from the WHCC standpoint. :whistle:

[kj4kicks 151]

When I was still "really into" Buicks, our annual meet was in Bowling Green KY. Recognize the place? It's the only place that Corvettes are built, and our show (by the 2nd or 3rd year) was bigger than the 'Vette show. The reason is simple. Bowling Green just happened to be the "central location" of our membership, they had great facilities, and we were always welcome there.

$.02 , no change required....

[HorseFixer 2,012]

So why don't all of you guys who want a Wheel Horse show at South Bend, IN get together and start a club and hold your own show? Maybe you could talk to "city hall" and make it a historical / memorial recognition event.

You have to have the organization and dedication of members to be able to assemble for a show. You can't expect it to start off with 2 or 3 hundred tractors either.

Like I said before.... the WHCC show in PA isn't held by Toro/Wheel Horse, so anyone can start a club and hold a show anywhere they want.

No matter where it's held, somebody will complain about the location.

It's even tough for me to get to the show in PA and I'm only 130 miles away.

We have a club MGTC... Michiana garden tractors club head honcho TY DIGGER I was trying to help TY get it going and spur some activity but a ceratain few didnt want to have it at Wal~Mart we have plans of a get together in Aug. This isnt a wheel horse event rather all garden tractors which is fine with me. Personally my blood is RED but we will have others there too. We havent got all the details worked out yet but if anyone is interested let me know.

Duke