[AT] Reactions to pictures posted from Portland

[Grant Brians]

I looked at the pictures Paul posted with great interest and also the
written words about the show. I had several reactions and also questions in
response.
     Living here in California where we are separated from the midwest and
eastern members of the list by 1,000 to 3,000 miles and have different
climates I first noticed all of those "STRANGE" so-called narrow front
tractors! The first time I saw one of those locally had to have been about
ten years ago because they were barely purchased here ever.
     Second, even at the Tulare show (California Antique Farm Equipment
Show) they are an almost rare exception in the show in the sea of wide
fronts, tricycles (by far the most common antique cultivator tractor
configuration here because of irrigated crops) and lots and lots of tracked
tractors - mostly but by no means exclusively Caterpillars. Another thing
that surprised me was the relatively large number of Cockshutt pictures.
They were not sold in California new at all and few have travelled here.
     Third, was a comment in Paul's message below that caught me eye and
seemed odd. He says that Portland had almost a football field of displays in
the tree area and larger in the open area. What size is the show? Tulare
fully fills slightly over 2/3 of the 100 acres of display space at the
showgrounds. There are typically close to 1000 tractors at the show. Then
there are the antique trucks, vendors, auction - usually about 500 lots on
Saturday with two rings going for most of the auction. How many attendees
are usually there? I saw the 2007 figure of 15,000 attendees and have heard
that the attendance this year and last had plateaued at slightly off the
2008 figure
     Last, I will admit that the grass and trees were very nice to have on
the grounds of the show - something that will not happen at our typical
shows here due to our weather patterns. I hope all had a fun time at the
show and look forward to inviting any list members to our California
activities and I do welcome list members to the farm. I won't even require
them to go to work for me! LOL.
             Grant Brians
             Hollister, California vegetable farmer

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of Paul Waugh
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 9:13 PM
To: Tractor
Subject: [AT] Portland


I came back early. Weather was great, cool and no rain!!  One of the largest
crowds I have seen in a while, for displays and spectator. We were under the
shade trees, where it was real nice.  Part of the open field went to
Caterpillars,  their first year to have a designated area.

Under the trees, was a sea of people and tractors, close to a football field
in size, the the open field had that many more.

There was a good group around the fire, and I would not be able to name them
all, but at least 9-10 with a few spouses.

http://www.atis.net/forums/album.php?albumid=32

Paul-46555
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