Collectors roll out antique tractors for SEMO District Fair

A collection of tractors spanning from turn-of-the-century engines to more modern machines stood at the north end of the fairgrounds at the SEMO District Fair.

"Right now, there's about 85 big tractors out here," Bob Haggett with Egypt Mills Antique Tractor Club said Saturday. "That's not counting the lawn tractors we have as well. We normally have around 105 big tractors; a lot of them are still coming in at this point."

While the show has easily recognizable brands like John Deere, club member Wayne Helderman said the featured brand for this year's show is Massey, which includes Massey-Harris, Massey-Wallis and the modern Massey-Ferguson.

"They're all on the front row, from the old steel wheels to the monster dual-wheeled modern tractors," Haggett said.

The club puts on four tractor pulls per year, including one at the SEMO District Fair. However, Saturday's pull postponed a week due to rain. It will be held at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 18. The club also has a two-day event at Flickerwood Arena in March that draws people from several states away, as well as a pull in June at its facility in Egypt Mills. It also hosts Egypt Fest in August that has a pull and family events.

The display at the fair isn't limited to farm tractors.

"We've got more of the old-time engines and lawn-mower equipment than we've had before," Haggett said. "There are some really unique old machines in these lawn mowers."

One of them is a Spirit of '76 Cub Cadet that Haggett is showing. Only 3,500 were made.

Tractors are classified by their year of manufacture. Tractors built before 1939 are considered "antique," while those built from 1940 to 1959 are labeled "classic."

A more unusual model is the McCormick-Deering WD-40, which has an engine that runs on gasoline as well as diesel.

"You hand-crank it; it starts on gas," Haggett said. "Once it runs to 500 rpm, it automatically changes itself over to diesel. It's just smooth as silk."

The oldest tractor on display is a 1912 Fairbanks Morse owned by John Hall. The tractor was rebuilt by Hall and his son, John Hall Jr.

"It's a single-cylinder engine," Hall Jr. said. "We built it up out of parts."

He said his father acquired the tractor more than 60 years ago, "then started buying pieces of it from all over the world. It's all correct parts."

Each tractor has its own appeal. "Sometimes it's one that ain't got a speck of paint on it that people will be interested in," Haggett said, "and then it may be something that shines like a diamond."

The People's Choice Award will be given to the crowd favorite at the end of the fair. Visitors can vote once a day for their favorite tractor by writing down the tractor's number and placing it in a box in the information tent. Lawn tractors and engines are excluded. Judges from the fair board will choose a best-of-show entry that receives a trophy.

"What really does my heart good," Haggett said, "is when an elderly man and woman come by ... 'Gracie, see; this is the tractor I grew up on,' and we hear those family stories that bring back memories."

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