American Farm Machinery History Celebration
Includes Antique Tractor Pulls In Indiana

When the Keck-Gonnerman Antique Machinery Association gathered for their 17th annual show on August 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2007 they are celebrating vintage machinery which included machinery that had been built in the Mt. Vernon, Indiana area beginning in the mid 1880's.

Once upon a time the manufacturing company of Keck-Gonnerman was the largest employer in the Mt. Vernon area. Through good workmanship and diversity it had a long history of machinery production. The company built mobile steam engines, threshing machines which were also called "separators", mining equipment, portable sawmills, pea and bean hullers as well as other types of machines plus four styles of tractors. The machinery bearing the name Keck-Gonnerman or the "Kay-Gee" trademark was sold throughout the United States and Canada as well as other parts of the world. Now in the 21st century these same machines have become collectors' items. Many are still operational as was demonstrated at the Keck-Gonnerman Antique Machinery Association annual event. The antique machinery association also provided two great opportunities for antique tractor pulling enthusiasts to hook to a sled and enjoy their vintage machinery bearing the names of Allis Chalmers, John Deere, Oliver, Minneapolis Moline, and International Harvester and Ford.

The Hook caught up with the Keck-Gonnerman Antique Machinery Association president Paul Maurer as he watched the Saturday afternoon tractor pull. Maurer who helped to start the club 17 years ago and is a "Kay-Gee" machinery owner was pleased with the turn out of tractors for their annual event. There were over 200 tractors involved in the show as well as threshing machine and steam engine demonstrations plus a plowing demonstration done with original "horse power".

Maurer gave credit for the success of the tractor pulls to Brad Parker who has been a part of the club for the last ten years. The Machinery Association owns their own pulling sled which provided half the stopping power at the pull in August. They also use the sled for a Relay for Life pull in May and their yearly county fair pull. Brad Parker's father, Glenn, has been a member of the machinery association for over 12 years and was instrumental in Brad's involvement.

On Friday night there was a stock tractor pull where many of their local club members and others got a chance to play. The pull on Saturday afternoon was an official USAP pull run under their rules. John Lampkin and his crew provided an additional sled for both pulls and shouldered the responsibility of Saturday's pulling event taAmerking care of sign up and payback as well as keeping an eye on the pulling action.
Despite the August heat, pullers from several states made the trek to southeast Indiana to participate in the Keck-Gonnerman seventh annual pull. If you told people that they had to work as hard as the pullers did loading and unloading tractors, sitting on tractor seats under a broiling August sun, throwing thousands of pounds of weight, and doing all of it in 90+ degree temperatures, you would have had a rebellion on your hands. But the pullers at Mt. Vernon seemed to be oblivious to the heat. Their only concession to the heat was the number of tents which lined the track as many of the pullers and their "pit crews" took shelter between classes.

Veteran pullers and newcomers tothe antique tractor pulling sport gathered on the track in Mt. Vernon, Indiana. The variety of classes offered by USAP madeit easy to find a place to compete.

G.W. Henderson debuted his Minneapolis Moline 335 at the Mt. Vernon pull. After six years of work, he drove over 200 miles to test the tractor out. On its maiden voyage the MM finished third in the 4000 Super Pro class. Not a bad start for the vintage tractor. Henderson has been pulling for 40 years so he knew what to look for in this first time down the track with the Minnie.

It was a very good evening for two of the Smith brothers out of Indiana. Always good competitors, the southern Indiana track was especially good to them. Jim and Juder Smith placed in every class they competed in. Running against each other several classes, they did a good job of wrapping up the classes where their tractors ran.

Brad Parker worked hard to make the pulling part of the weekend a success. Part of Parker's responsibility was to acquire sponsors for the pull. In 2007 the pull had line up several sponsors that made it possible to add bonus money in four different classes sweetening the pot of winnings. Cargill, Raben Tire and Auto Service, the CBS Bank, Stone and Stemle, J&L Farm Equipment, and Tri-County Equipment all contributed to making the pulls successful.

The Friday night pull saw 106 hooks with 177 hooks taking place on Saturday evening. The track held together well and both sleds kept the pull running smoothly. Jeff Goad, Parker's right hand man on the association's sled, made numerous trips up and down the track during both pulls. Sled duties on the USAP sled were shared by Rob Lampkin and Eric Bloom who always do exceptional jobs.

The location of the Keck-Gonnerman pulling track allowed for easy parking and unloading. There had originally been a pond in the location of the track but six years ago the club okayed the building of a permanent track and in two and a half days the pond was filled in and a track appeared. The track has great drainage though that aspect of the track was not needed for the pull in August of 2007. The area was suffering from many days of very hot temperatures and no rain. A few sprinkles during the evening on Saturday got everyone's hopes up but resulted in only enough drops of rain to tease everyone.

Antique tractor pulling and the displaying of many vintage tractors along with demonstrating what antique machinery can do was a wonderful combination at the annual event. The Keck-Gonnerman Antique Machinery Association is doing its part to keep up a tradition that dates back to the 1880's when the Keck-Gonnerman Company started manufacturing machinery. Antique tractor pulling also celebrates machines that were built to work hard (and play hard). Between the warm hospitality of the Keck-Gonnerman Antique Machinery Association and the hard work of Brad Parker and his crew of volunteers, the Mt. Vernon, Indiana pull was a great place to spend an August weekend. Watch for details on their 2008 pull in The Hook Magazine.

Keck Gonnerman Show 2007
Barnyard Antique Tractor Pull Results
August 3, 2007

3500
1. Carl Caldemeyer/AC WD/182.55
2. Mike Mileham/Famrall C/129.88
3. Don Temme/Farmall B/85.83
4000
1. Lowell Tate/IH Super H/319.75
2. Keith Brenner/JD A/259.79
3. Raymond Topper/Oliver 70/257.10
4500
1. John Sailer/JD B/290.64
2. Charles Cheaney/JD B/269.02
3. Jim Happe/Oliver/245.10
5500
1. Clinton Clark/IH Super M/236.68
2. Justin Clark/IH M/234.06
3. Dwayne Loehr/JD A/233.73
6500
1. Clinton Clark/IH Super M/248.22
2. Dave Kelsey/Oliver 880/245.25
3. Jason Motz/IH 400/232.65
7500
1. Jack Webb/JD 720 LP/167.9
2. Bill Owens/JD 630/160.16
3. Bill Williams/IH 650/150.83
8500
1. Mike Blackburn/MM GB/182.29
2. Bill Owens/JD 630/179.70
3. Don Temme/JD 730/177.20
9250
1. Anthony Seibert/JD 730/185.20
2. Mike Blackburn/MM GB/185.25
3. Jacob Mayer /JD 730 LP/185.18
10,000
1. Carl Caldemeyer/Case LA/234.15
2. Ralph Willis/JD 80/211.70
3. Eddie Willis/JD 80/209.98
King of the Barnyard
1. Larry Eaton, Sr./JD 80/173.37
2. Nathan Wiley/JD 720/153.48
3. Kurt Seibert/JD 720/142.36
4. Ralph Willis/JD 80/140.42
5. Eddie Willis/JD 80/138.45

USAP Pull Results
August 4, 2007

4000 Super Farm
1. Juder Smith/Greenville IN/Allis WD 45/207.69
2. AJ Alstatt/Buckskin IN/Allis WD 45/204.55
3. Jim Smith/Greenville IN/Oliver 77/202.92
4500 Super Farm
1. Juder Smith/Greenville IN/Allis WD 45/167.79
2. Jim Matzenbacher/Fults IL/John Deere G/166.95
3. Richard Helfert/Tenneyson IN/Oliver 88/166.64
5000 Super Farm
1. Jim Smith/Greenville IN/Oliver 77/188.88
2. Don Meyer/Aurora IN/John Deere A/183.94
3. Kasey Emmick/Lewisport KY/Farmall M/183.89
5500 Super Farm
1. Jimmy Drury/Owensboro KY/Farmall M/216.38
2. Jennifer Helfert/Tenneyson IN/Oliver 88/199.32
3. Lowell Tate/Farmall M/196.46
6000 Super Farm
1. Juder Smith/Greenville IN/Oliver 88/187.78
2. Randy Tally/Mulberry Grove IL/Farmall M/ 183.75
3. Jim Smith/Greenville IN/Oliver 88/183.72
4000 Modified
1. Eric Bloom/Boonville IN/Oliver 77/234.43
2. Don Meyer/Aurora IN/Oliver 77/232.51
4500 Modified
1. Denny Marvell/Patoka IN/Oliver 88/180.77
2. Rob Lampkin/Philpot KY/Oliver 77/171.02
3. Dumpy Harris/Mt. Vernon IL/IH 460/170.03
5000 Modified
1. Kevin Menchhofer/Versalies IN/Oliver 88/232.58
2. Randy Schmits/Ft. Branch IN/Oliver 88/224.78
3. Asa Buck/Opdyke IL/Oliver 88/223.59
5500 Modified
1. Brad Whelan/Waterloo IL/John Deere G/218.78
2. Allan Englerth/Valmeyer IL/MM UB/211.70
3. Bill Grahlherr/St Louis MO/Farmall M/210.65
6000 Modified
1. Kevin Menchhofer/Versalies IN/Oliver 88/236.15
2. Rick Gordon/Oliver 88/225.28
3. Paul Donaldson/MM GB/205.72
6500 Modified
1. Bill Warmoth/Martinville IN/MM GB/210.92
2. Kevin Menchhofer/Versalies IN/Oliver 88/210.43
3. Allan Englerth/ Valmeyer IL/MM UB/210.20
4000 Pro Stock
1. Eric Bloom/Boonville IN/Oliver 77/196.47
2. Bubba Emmick/Lewisport KY/IH 460/195.32
3. Mike Welch/Jasonville IN/Allis WD/172.02
4500 Pro Stock
1. Bubba Emmick/Lewisport KY/IH 460/209.43
2. Asa Buck/Opdyke IL/Oliver 88/196.77
3. Bernard Vogt/Columbia IL/IH 460/196.54
5000 Pro Stock
1. Asa Buck/Opdyke IL/Oliver 88/226.35
2. Brad Parker/Mt.Vernon IN/Oliver 880/218.85
6000 Pro Stock
1. Carl Dick/Mt.Vernon IL/MM GB/206.66
2. Rick Avara/MM GVI/197.12
3. Robert Cabbage/Waterloo IL/MM U/192.95
6500 Pro Stock
1. Carl Dick/Mt.Vernon IL/MM GB/213.79
2. Rick Avara/MM GVI/209.58
3. Bill Warmoth/Martinville IN/MM GB/208.78
7500 Pro Stock
1. Clayton Stevens/Allendale IL/190.06
4000 Super Pro Stock
1. Bubba Emmick/Lewisport KY/IH 460/221.52
2. Ed Embrich/IH 460/206.66
3. George Henderson/Plainfield IN/MM 335/110.68
5500 Super Pro Stock
1. Rick Avara/MM GVI/232.38
2. Grant Warmoth/Martinville IN/MM GB