Letter from First ATA President

Amos E. Rixmann

Originally printed in the 1961 May-June issue of The Iron-Men Album. Reprinted with permission from Farm Collector magazine/Ogden Publications, Inc.

The 1960 show of The American Thresherman Association was a spectacular event at Highland, Illinois. This first Agricultural Power Progress Show proved to be a huge success and for the most part needs no detailed description here because so many people carried good reports with them. However, there are of course many who did not see the 1960 show.

In order to describe the event, the main and most important point to report would be to describe the continuous activity. Simply said, there was no show anywhere that would compare in terms of action and activity. For example, 15 acres of land was plowed with steam and modern tractors; 30 acres of wheat was threshed (at one time 16 loads of bundles could be counted at one time); contests involving threshing, pulling power, belt power, and the famous setting (or getting into the belt) were sponsored. Also, a modern concrete and covered grandstand and track equipped with fine lighting enabled a lovely evening show and parade of Farm Power Progress. All this plus a nearly continuous operation of the sawmill, brake, fan and also Veneering machine, made it different from any event.

All of this action, except for the plowing, took place in a most beautiful setting. There was an abundance of shade on the level where the machines operated and even more on a plateau at tree top level from which hundreds and thousands could see the grounds in back yard lounging conditions away from the dust and dirt.

So you can see why people left the show filled with enthusiasm and carrying such good reports. There were many more activities than can be reported here.

The American Thresherman Association will sponsor the 1961 show in Highland, Illinois, on August 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27. Progress of tractors and farm machinery will be featured from a large variety of steam engines to the most modern power. The 1961 event has already been well planned. It will be a pleasure to attend and will be of educational value. The first one in 1960 ranked with the big nationally known shows and offered more activity than the two biggest and best known events. The 1961 action event is open to all of you. However, if you are interested only in visiting, only in a parade, and only in steam engines standing idle, just smoking away, then don’t come to Highland because you may be left to talk to yourself or get run over, unless you like the lovely shade and grass on the cliff overlooking the area. – So all are invited! We can promise only that there will be truly a good active show for you to witness and one you can see nowhere else.