Hundreds turned out June 4-5 for the Westlock Vintage Tractor and Machinery Club’s 25th annual tractor show held at the town’s agricultural society grounds.
“We’re pretty pleased with the turnout,” said club president Wayne Forbes, adding that the crowd in attendance was one of the largest in recent memory.
“This is the first year we’ve had to have two sites going.”
While the first-ever drive-in movie capped Saturday’s activities, another first and a big draw was a competitive tractor pull.
“I’ve never seen a competitive pull, myself, but there’s obviously a lot of interest,” said Forbes.
“We’ve done what we called a fun pull for a number of years, but this adds a new twist.”
More than 50 tractors pulled in a variety weight classes, drawing crowds with the thrill of competition, but with a glut of farm machinery and agricultural innovations on display, the event had something for everyone.
“Between the activity that the club does, then of course our tractor museum, which is unique to Canada, really, it’s a reflection of the interest and enthusiasm we’ve had for maintaining traditional tractors and maintaining them in a state they can be viewed at,” Forbes said.
“We’re very fortunate. We’ve got people that have worked very hard for a lot of years to keep this going.”
Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen was also on hand to take in the sights.
A mechanic and farm boy, himself, he admitted to being more than a little interested in the rows of farm equipment lining the show.
“My dad and I are into antique tractors, so I’ve been involved with it for a long time. It’s part of our rural heritage. We go on the hunt for antique tractors,” Viersen said.
“Half of the fun is the physical structure, the nuts and the bolts, but the other half is the story … who bought it first? What was their circumstance? Who operated the thing?
“These antique tractors, they all have a story. There’s a lot of memory tied up to it.”
One of those stories was that of Bernard Wiese, who brought his 1919 Case Steam Engine to the show.
The appeal of refinishing old farm machinery, Wiese added, might be alien to some, but for those who grew up in a rural area, the drive requires no explanation.
“To a lot of people, it’s nothing, but to people that enjoy doing it and trying to preserve the agricultural heritage of Western Canada, it means a lot.”
