NATIONAL PLOWING CONTESTS

So the spectacular event has grown in size from that which numbered only a few hundred in attendance at first, to the record crowd of over 160,000 during the show-time of Sept. 21 to 23 inclusive. But it is indicated that over two years went into the planning of this single event. After selection of the site, sponsors were sought for the various phases of the works. One of these was the farm radio broadcasting station WNAX at nearby Yankton, which was assisted by the Sioux Palls Chamber of commerce and the South Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts. Many machinery firms spent approximately $250,000 setting up exhibits worth over five million dollars. To be counted with these was Republic Steel, which gave away 5 tons of farm-help brochures and 16,000 wire splicers for a total of about $17,000; I-H utilized 20 men for nine days to set up tents and exhibits on over a dozen lots in the 100-acre display, and before one of its grandstands which had a seating capacity of 1800 it conducted five shows daily, the finale of which consisted of eight baby crawlers doing a square dance backed by a country music band. This part of the show was narrated by Jim Hill, MC from WCCO in Minneapolis. Ford Motor also spent approximately $15,000 on 12 out of 122 lots in the exhibits. Each lot was 40 ft. by 100 ft. and rented for $180. In addition, there were numerous smaller lots for little exhibits, and also 25 machine demonstration lots each 60 ft. by 500ft., which rented for $360. A total of 82 exhibits was signed.

Massey-Ferguson of Ontario, Canada, spent about $20,000 which included a show featuring Tex Ritter for entertainment. This portion was planned eighteen months in advance. This firm also bought many tons of corncobs from local farmers to afford a more pleasant walkway over the rain-soaked ground. Yes, the rains hit this event pretty hard, too. Deere & Company used five lots for display, and exhibited their new line of four and six-cylinder engines, a breakaway from the long run of twin-cylindered jobs manufactured since the end of WW1, a long record indeed. Incidentally, this new line was unveiled a few weeks prior in Dallas, and Deere spent 2 million flying their 5000 dealers down to that event. Allis-Chalmers found considerable farmer interest in their new picker-sheller for corn, a rather expensive sort of combine. This exhibit cost some $4,000, but did not apparently include one of their new experimental electric tractors which derives its energy from petroleum fuels without combustion. One of the heaviest spenders was my old employer, J. I. Case, which spent about $30,000 on the show; over $3,000 in signs and educational displays alone. However, they were not exhibiting current lines of the same type of machinery that I took for granted back in the last days of Steam. They built their last steam engine, an Eighty as I recall, four years after I left Racine to belatedly attend University.