This aerial view is from Saturday morning of last year’s Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Show at the Jay County Fairgrounds. (The Commercial Review/Jack Ronald)
This aerial view is from Saturday morning of last year’s Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Show at the Jay County Fairgrounds. (The Commercial Review/Jack Ronald)
Orphan tractors to watch for
There are 100 different orphan tractors being featured at this year's show. Orphan tractors may have come from companies that went out of business or weren't merged into another company.

While out at the grounds, keep your eyes open for these manufacturers:

Adams, Avery, Allwork, American, Baker, Bear, Bates, Bryan, Bull, Bradley, Brockway, Beeman, Clark, C.O.D., Century, Common Sense, Cultor, Custom, Cunningham, Detroit Line Drive.

Empire, Eagle, Emmerson Brantingham, Fairmor, Frick, Farmcrest, Fitch, Friday, Flour City, Fageol, Ford, Farmers Coop, Greyhound, G-O, Huber, Global, Galloway, Gray, Gambels, Graham Bradley. Hackney, Hagen, Harrison Jumbo, Harris, Hoke, Indiana, Illinois, Intercontinental, Happy Farmer, Jerry, Keck-Gonnerman, Love, Kawood, Lawson, Nielson, Lehr, Long, Parret, Plymouth, Pioneer.

Mayrath, Russell, Steel King, Silver King, Shelby, Sheppard, Sandusky, Sampson, Simpson Jumbo, Townsend, Turner, United, Victory, Wheat, Wisconsin, Wards, Harshman, Square Turn, Heer, Thieman. Rogers, Rockol, Power Horse, Adaptable, Kardell, Four Drive, Ingeco, Harvey, Farm Horse, Nilson, Elgin, Royer, Quincy, Gilson, Lawter, Wichita, Little Oak, Krause, Abenaques and Long.
It's a hard knock life for this year's feature tractors.

For the 44th annual Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor show, there are 100 different models of "orphan" tractors being highlighted as the feature for this year's show at the Jay County Fairgrounds. The featured engines this year are any Ohio-built engines.

With some participants showing up as much as two weeks early, the show officially begins Wednesday with the opening ceremony and flag-raising at 9 a.m.

For those returning to this year's show, they can expect to see familiar sites from vendors to daily demonstrations. Each night will cap with entertainment at the fairgrounds before the sun sets, culminating in the noon auction on Sunday.

Antique, arts and crafts dealers will be open daily during the show. Demonstrations running Wednesday through Saturday include the 100 horsepower Fairbanks Diesel Engine at 10 a.m.; saw milling at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; threshing at 11 a.m.; and the 55 horsepower Muncie Oil engine at 1 and 4 p.m. The 100 Fairbanks and 55 Muncie Oil will be in operation at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, on Sunday.

Tractor teeter board, slow race and quick start up competitions will be held on Thursday and Friday, with the championships taking place on Saturday. A tractor parade will also be held on Saturday. Times for those events are to be decided.

The show will open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday through Saturday and will open at 10 a.m. on Sunday following church services featuring the Christianaires beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Evening entertainment during the week will begin at 7 p.m. and include: Wednesday, Red Garter Trio, Farmer's Building at the fairgrounds; Thursday, 50s and 60s music, fairgrounds grandstand; Friday, garden tractor pull, grandstand (weigh-in at 6 p.m.) and Mandy Neff, Farmer's Building; and Saturday, Vernon McIntire Appalachian Grass Band and banjo and fiddler's contest, farmer's building.

The show will close on Sunday with the trading post auction beginning at noon and a drawing for door prizes at 1 p.m.

This year's featured tractors will include 100 different "orphan" tractors, which include "makes of tractors that ceased manufacturing, went broke, or were not purchased by or merged with another company," according to the engine show program. Some companies were in existence for a short period.