President Rosholt Area Threshermen, Inc.,P.O. Box 85, Rosholt,
Wisconsin 54473
July 14-15, 1990 marked the date of the start of a tradition in
Rosholt, Wisconsin, for those were the dates of the First Annual
Thresheree held here and sponsored by the Rosholt Area Threshermen,
Inc.
The club was officially formed on December 14th of 1989, and
incorporated on February 6th of 1990
Planning for the first show was hectic and the possibility of
not having any grain for the thresher was a definite problem. A
cold, prolonged spring didn’t help the oats situation either,
even though two club members seeded the earliest oats variety
available.
Our financial situation was not that great either, so
advertising was placed sparingly, but apparently in the right
places, because replies began coming in and things really shaped up
nicely.
Our biggest asset is a beautiful park in the village, which is
the site of the Portage County Fair. Everything in the line of
buildings and space is tailor-made for such an event, and the Fair
Board was most cooperative with us, as well as the village and
surrounding area, for this show would be the first of its kind in
the immediate area and would surely be good for the community.
The weather was, of course, the biggest thing we had to deal
with, and as July rolled around it was plain to see that there
would be no oats. Fortunately, though, the rye was nearly ready
(doughy, actually) and we had to take a chance on hindering it and
hoping for drying weather.
We got lucky! The weather couldn’t have been better and we
had our crop to thresh. Fred Yenter, club vice president, belted
his 45 HP Case steamer to our 24×40 Belle City thresher and the
stack music was wonderful! Every time a tough bundle would hit the
cylinder, the governor would jump open and that engine would just
bark and then wait for the next bundle.
Craig Anderson, club president, belted his Hart-Parr 18-36 to
the thresher too, and there was more barking!
Lumber was sawed on our Phoenix sawmill powered by
Anderson’s 60 HP Case steamer; corn was husked and shelled; the
1908 Waterous fire pumper pumped water; logs were sawed on our
Kalamazoo dragsaw and then split into stove wood; engines of all
kinds were all over the place; miniature tractors were driving
around the grounds; and flea marketers were doing their best to go
home with less than they came with.
John Schroeder, of Waupaca, brought his 1915 Eagle Model F
tractor, a rare machine at any show, and we also had two 10-20
Titans, and more.
The weather held and the show was a success in every way. In
fact, we heard comments from some people who said they couldn’t
believe this was a first year show.
It would be nice to take credit for that, but without the good
advice we got from the ‘old timers’ in other area clubs,
and the wonderful people who brought their ‘stuff’ from all
over the state, there would have been no show. We could only set
the stage. And a stage without actors doesn’t amount to
much.
The Second Annual Thresheree at Rosholt will be held July 13
& 14 at the same site, and we will be ready! The oats are in a
barn and we will binder up some corn this fall (if there is any
ripe corn!) for a little more action at our next show, and plans
are also in the works for an antique tractor pull.
To our knowledge, we are the only thresheree show in Wisconsin
on these dates, so come to Rosholt (14 miles northeast of Stevens
Point) and join us and help us grow!
