Tractor Show in Mentone Getting Bigger
Published: Friday, June 9, 2023
International Harvester and Farmall collectors from northern Indiana and beyond gathered in southern Kosciusko County last weekend for the annual Mentone Tractor, Engine, Garden Tractor Show and Swap.
In its third year, the Mentone show is getting bigger every year. There were 120 tractors of various colors, plus 75 garden tractors, 48 hit-and-miss engines and various other implements. The swap meet featured roughly 20 exhibitors.
Activities coincided with the annual Mentone Egg Festival. Some of the tractors from the show made an appearance in the egg festival parade, and, likewise, many festival-goers traveled a few miles south to the Mentone Airport to watch the tractor show. Last Saturday's highlights included a touch-a-truck event and a pedal pull for children.
Members of the Tippecanoe Valley FFA were on hand both Friday and Saturday to serve pancake and sausage meals.
One thing that brought many enthusiasts to this year's show was the gathering of red tractors, officially known as the "Red Power Review." Many of the collectors know each other well and look forward to these shows so they can catch up. One collector from Hillsdale, Mich. brought two semis loaded with tractors.
Travis Adams of Akron said his family has owned IH equipment for three generations. In fact, one of the items on display was a pull-type combine that he received as a 16th birthday present.
Adams was particularly proud of an International 404 tractor that had once belonged to his grandfather and has now returned.
"He used it at the dairy farm with the loader and sold it," Adams said. "It went into Akron, where the dealership was. It got bought by a neighbor. That guy had it for like 40 years, and Dad finally got it back five years ago. So, we've got a picture of my grandpa, my dad, me and my boys all on that tractor that Grandpa bought new."
The Adamses use the tractor, now owned by Travis' father, Craig, to rake hay and perform other light duties, but mostly they want to display it at shows.
"We were thinking about redoing it, but I think we're going to leave it," Travis said. "It's still the original (paint)."
Jerry Roller of Logansport attended the show with his two boys, Graysen, 14, and Brantly, 9. Jerry said he is currently restoring a 1206 Farmall and wanted to look at models on display so he could know how the finished version looks. He is hoping to take the restored tractor to a major tractor show later this summer in Rantoul, Ill.
Among all the red equipment were a few John Deere tractors. One owner, Richard Fox of Bremen, brought a 1942 John Deere B. When asked how he feels to be surrounded by so many red tractors, he smiled and said, "Hey, I love them all. I just prefer John Deere green."
Like many other exhibitors, he came to Mentone to visit with other exhibitors and study the antique equipment.
"It's good people that come to these things, and a lot of good tractors," he said.
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