HORSE BARN
The 17th Annual Wheel Horse Collectors Club Show
By Matt Castagno | grnlark@cox.net ABOVE: Brennan Botelho cruising around on his trickedout Suburban
“O
h…my…gosh!” That’s all he said. He stood there in disbelief as he peered out at the show field and the endless sea of red. This was Brandon’s first time at the annual Wheel Horse Collectors Club Show in Biglerville, Pennsylvania. Many of us guys are used to sizable, local, Wheel Horse meet-andgreet gatherings, but this would dwarf anything he had ever seen before. June 2017 marked the 17th annual show and gathering dedicated to the display and operation of all Wheel Horse lawn and garden tractors. For those of you who have never had the opportunity to attend, this show is a “must see” on your future bucket list. Having attended now for several years, I still stand back in disbelief, looking around and taking it all in. As far as you can see, there are red tractors everywhere.
26 L&GT | September/October 2017
Our usual trek started out from Connecticut at 4 a.m. on Thursday morning. This year my brother Vin (better known as VinsRJ on YouTube) and I decided to stuff our tractors, parts, and gear into an Enterprise rental, a cargo van. What a stellar idea! Rather ironic that one of us is short with dark hair and the other tall and skinny with slightly lighter hair. Factor that with a white van full of junk—the only thing missing were the Antique Archaeology decals on the side of the van. Ha! Off to Pennsylvania we went! Thursday afternoon and evening are always a good time at the show. As collectors and vendors arrive, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with friends, have a few laughs, and, of course, get a sneak peek of everyone’s “new build.” It seems like the preparation for this show always starts the year prior. There are always new custom builds, hot rods,