Hosted by the IH Collectors Minnesota Chapter #15 this year, the 22nd annual National Red Power Round Up was held June 23-25 in Albert Lea, Minn., at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds.
I traveled with my manager, Rod Peterson, for this show and we stopped in Manchester, Minn., on the way to the show to see the folks at Jensales. They sell tractor manuals for nearly every make of tractor! Check out their website at www.jensales.com. We got to meet Paul, Debbie, Vicky, Cari, Tim, Joshua, Laura and even Paul’s daughters, Emily and Odelia. (We were honored to get the autograph of Emily who is a rising star with a school science award!) Rod and Paul found another common interest: motorcycles. Rod sells and manages ads for our sister publication, Motorcycle Classics, and Paul and his wife are active on the motorcycle racing circuit!
We also stopped by the Jensales booth when we were at the show and made a video of Paul talking about the company. You can view that on our website at http://www.farmcollector.com/bulletin-board/profiles-jensales-inc.aspx.
At the show, we saw lots of vendors and lots of spectators. There were toy tractor and manual vendors in the buildings along with other types of vendors and many of the state IH Collectors Chapters were set up in buildings as well. Other vendors and exhibitors were outside. I made another video of one of the vendors. Check out http://www.farmcollector.com/bulletin-board/profiles-roys-red-iron.aspx, to see Roy Edwards of Roy’s Red Iron of East Ridge, Tenn., tell you all about his business for tractors, parts and equipment. To learn more go to www.roysrediron.com.
We talked to Billy Steers, author of Tractor Mac children’s books. Check out the website at www.tractormac.com. He was busy signing autographs, and the kids love Tractor Mac!
Billy was kind enough to donate a set of his books for our drawing in our booth at the Old Thresher’s Reunion coming up Labor Day weekend at Mt Pleasant, Iowa. Come by and sign up to win!
Meg and David of Meg’s Art World, www.megsartworld.com, showcased some beautiful paintings depicting tractors, threshing and farm life, painted by Russell Sonnenberg.
One feature at the show was the big “round-up” of white Demonstrator models.
The consignment auction was held on Friday by Cary Aasness of Aasness Auction. I got to meet both Cary and his wife Anita from Dalton, Minn. You can view their website at www.aasnessauctioneers.com.
The 50th year anniversary of Cub Cadet was celebrated during the event.
Food and entertainment rounded out the Round Up. As you know, I always like to try something new and unique when I travel, so this time it was deep-fried Oreo cookies topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. (My husband says that makes his teeth hurt just thinking about it!)
Here are a few more pictures from the show.
That’s me with Big Bertha. Big Bertha is owned by Farmall-Land Museum, Jerry Mez, Avoca, Iowa. Big Bertha and I were both born in 1961!
Next year the RPRU will be held in DuQuoin, Ill., hosted by the IH Collectors Club of Southern Illinois, Chapter #32.
See you down the road! Happy “Red” Trails!
