Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show

Get Ready for the Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show!

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If you're looking for a fun and educational day for the whole family, you'll love the Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show! Be it vintage cars or vendor booths, antique farm machinery or tasty food, garden tractor pulling or model train rides, there's something for everyone. Entering into its 31th year in 2011, the Mini Sappa Show is sure to stir memories of days gone by and create new ones for years to come!

The Mini Sappa Show is an annual event held at the Decatur County Fairgrounds in Oberlin, KS. Each year, people gather to enjoy the sights and sounds of Great Plains history. 2011 will be no different, as the Mini Sappa Club celebrates its 31th anniversary and plans for another great show!

September 17-18,
2011

Come join in on the fun!

Browse through the website and you'll find everything you need to know about the show. Be sure to check out the photos from the 2010 show; click the slideshow and you'll be taken to a site where you can see the full-sized photos.

If you do find you have an unanswered question, please feel free to contact us. Just click the "Contact Us" link in the "About Us" section at the left. You can phone one of the club members or e-mail us and we'll help in whatever way we can.

Mark your calendars for the 2011 Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show, September 17-18. This is one event you don't want to miss!

Show Flyer

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Click the button below to view and download the 2011 Mini Sappa Show flyer. The flyer will open in a new window from which you can save or print the PDF file. If you don't have a PDF reader installed on your computer, first click here to download Adobe Reader for free. (NOTE: On the Adobe Reader page, you will probably want to uncheck the box labeled "Free McAfee® Security Scan Plus" before clicking the "Download" button.)

Saturday Evening Ham and Beans Feed

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The ham and beans feed is an event everyone can sink their teeth into! Join us Saturday at 6:00 pm for an evening for which your stomach will be sure to thank you. Tickets are $6.00 per person and include a fantastic meal of ham and beans soup, homemade cornbread, and tea or coffee to drink. For you exhibitors and vendors, don't forget that the meal is free for you along with a guest. Seating will be available indoors as well as outside.

Whether you're winding down from a fun-filled Saturday at the Mini Sappa Show or just joining us for the evening, the ham and beans feed is a great chance to enjoy a delicious meal in a relaxing atmosphere with friends and family.

2011 Raffle

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The Mini Sappa Club is raffling off two great items this year to help raise funds to support future shows. Club members have poured much time and talent into making a beautifully pieced quilt and also have a really neat electric kids' John Deere tractor and trailer. Both can be seen on the 2011 show flyer.

The raffle drawing will take place after the parade on the Sunday of the Mini Sappa Show. The winners needn't be present at the time. The first winner will have their choice of the quilt or tractor, and the second will receive the remaining item. Tickets may be purchased at $1.00 for 1 or $5.00 for 6 from any of the club members. The quilt and tractor will also be at several other area antique shows throughout the summer, so keep an eye out for the club's booth.

Mini Sappa Dash Plaque Collection

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Mini Sappa Button Collection

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Show History

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In the Beginning...

The Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show has a long and impressive history. It began about three decades ago in October of 1981, when a small group of enthusiasts got together to display and demonstrate a variety of tractors, farm equipment, small engines, and automobiles. Where did they choose to congregate for this event? Why, it was the Decatur County Fairgrounds—the same location the club uses today!

The main organizers for this first show were Allen "Bus" and Carolyn Wurm. According to Carolyn in a 1987 Clarion article, the show began because they had been attending the Bird City show for quite some time and thought it would be a good activity to get started locally before the 1985 Oberlin Centennial. In the article, Carolyn also added that "the threshers have so much area history surrounding them we decided that it would be an appropriate event."

An estimated 10 automobiles, 18 tractors, and 17 small engines were present at that first show. Among them was Bus and Carolyn's 1916 30-60 HP Aultman Taylor, the tractor on which the official club logo is based. This logo was created circa 1991 and can be seen in the header of this website. Some other identified exhibits include Dwayne Jones' 1928 Ford Model A, Bus Wurm's 1918 International Harvester Titan tractor, Lowell Ayers' Case threshing machine, Tracy Lincoln's 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, Charlie Lincoln's 1963 Chevrolet Nova SS convertible, and Jerry Bantam's 1915 Ford Model T. Also on display was an antique, homemade tractor created by Harry Schrammel. Harry gave this tractor to Bus shortly before the show, and the two of them worked diligently so that it could be in running condition for the event. Speaking of Mr. Schrammel, the little train that everyone in the Oberlin area knows so well was at that first show, too! Harry and Betty Schrammel donated the train for the Decatur County Fairgrounds in 1980, and people were even more excited about it then than they are now, over 30 years later. Some of the farm demonstrations during the show included running a pumpjack, operating a large fan, and threshing with the Case separator.

To see additional photos of the first show, please click here!

Through the Years...

Within a few years of that first show, the Mini Sappa club was officially formed, and the annual event just kept getting bigger and better. More exhibitors and spectators poured in from the surrounding cities and states. Each year, additional farm equipment was demonstrated. New features such as the kids' tractor pull, exhibitors' parade and vendor market were added. What started as a small get-together with fewer than 50 exhibits turned into a major attraction, at times bringing in well over 2,000 people and hosting hundreds of entries.

Many hands helped make the Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show a success, and they continue to do so today. Good people from the club, the Oberlin community, and the surrounding area come together year after year to put on a superb show so that the valued history represented in each and every old hunk of iron on display won't be forgotten—so that the area's agricultural past can be revealed to generations of the future.

Quilt Show

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Come view the splendid array of quilts on display at the Mini Sappa Show. The attention to detail and often intricate designs will amaze you! It really is neat to see all of the different styles, colors, and patterns.

We encourage you to exhibit quilts of your own as well. They can be anything from precious family heirlooms to fun wall hangings! Quilts needn't have rod pockets sewn on, as the quilts are hung using large clips over rods that won't damage the material. The safety of your handiwork is also considered: the building is monitored at all times during the day.

Quilts are typically hung on the evening of the Friday of the show weekend. Feel free to bring them by the 4-H building at the fairgrounds that day. Please include the names of the owner, maker, and pattern, as well as the year made if known. Quilts may be picked up on Sunday after the parade. There will likely be some left over room to hang quilts that arrive Saturday morning as well, so don't worry if you won't make it until the weekend.

Become an Exhibitor

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This is the easy part. You bring your stuff—we give you an exhibitor ribbon for your show button. Tada! You're an exhibitor.

Not only that, we give you two tickets to the Saturday evening ham and beans feed and a commemorative dash plaque. We appreciate the effort that goes into restoring and preserving old iron, and we'd really like you to help us share the hobby with the many visitors at the show.

On the morning you arrive, be sure to register your exhibit(s) at the registration table in the 4-H building. Registration is free. The table will open at 7:30 am on both Saturday and Sunday. Here, you will receive an information card and entry number to be displayed on your exhibit as well as your Saturday hog roast tickets and commemorative dash plaque. The entry number will be used by the announcer for identification during the exhibitors' parade. If you prefer, feel free to pre-register by calling (785) 322-5563. This will ensure that the entry forms will be pre-filled and you will just need to pick up your packet on the day of the show.

We'd love to see your entries on both days of the show but understand that this isn't always feasible. Some exhibitors prefer to show one thing on Saturday and bring something totally different on Sunday. Others can only make it for one day, and that's okay too. You're under no obligation to participate in the exhibitors' parade or stay for both days: we'd just like you to come and join in on what you can.

Steel lugged tractors are allowed in the display area. Unfortunately, they are not permitted on the parade route as the route crosses the model train track.

There is a very large grass area available for trailer parking and unloading exhibits.

The Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Club will not be responsible for accidents.

The Club Today

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The Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Club is made up of people with a variety of backgrounds and different interests. There are “car people,” “tractor people,” “small engine people,” and “horse people.” The list could go on and on. However, we share two things in common—a love for preserving and enjoying all things vintage and a passion to pass a bit of history on to future generations.

Well, actually we're not nearly that philosophical, but you get the idea!

The Mini Sappa Club is a laid-back organization in which it's easy to fit right in. We get together on the evening of the second Sunday of each month for a potluck dinner and business meeting. Of course, these meetings aren't mandatory by any means, but the more the merrier. Traditionally we gather in Oberlin, KS. However, this winter we'll be meeting in Atwood, KS, as club members are using a member's shop to restore the 2011 raffle tractor, a John Deere A. In addition, part of the group is working on a beautiful raffle quilt. Meetings will return to the Oberlin location in April.

The club participates in several activities throughout the year. One event the club enjoys is the Oberlin Business Alliance's Parade of Lights on the Friday of every Thanksgiving weekend. This parade takes place just after sunset, and each entry is decked out with Christmas lights. Of course, the Mini Sappa Club is there in style! Speaking of the holidays, the club decorates a themed Christmas tree each year for display throughout the holiday season at the Last Indian Raid Museum in Oberlin, which hosts trees from several local organizations.

In the summer, we all enjoy attending other shows in the area. For the past several years, we've hosted a tractorcade from Oberlin to Selden, KS, on the morning of the Selden Tractor Show in June. This is a great opportunity to get some quality time behind the wheel of your tractor and enjoy the Kansas countryside at a little slower pace.

Speaking of slowing things down, each year club members get together in October and use a one row picker to gather a load of ear corn for the following year's show. The big harvest event, though, is the annual wheat binding! One 10 foot swath at a time, the wheat gets cut, bound, and loaded onto bundle racks to await its fate at the following Mini Sappa Show. The binding activity typically coincides with the July business meeting and potluck dinner.

Of course, the main event for the club is the Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show in September. It's a big job to put the show on, and the members do it all for free. Planning and preparations begin as soon as the previous year's show draws to a close. We do our best to produce a great, family-friendly event each and every year.

Guestbook

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Take a look at what others are saying about us, then drop us a line of your own using the form at the bottom of the page—we'd love to hear from you, and we'll add your comments to this page!

Be the first to comment!

Contact Us

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Please feel free to contact us with questions about the club and our show!

For general information, please call any of the following phone numbers or e-mail us using the form at the bottom of the page:

(785) 626-3315 ~ Harvey and Maxine

(785) 475-3300 ~ Jim and Reva

(785) 322-5563 ~ Bob and Liane

(785) 475-3517 ~ Bus and Carolyn

For vendor assistance, please call Reva or Maxine.

(785) 475-3300 ~ Reva

(785) 626-3315 ~ Maxine

For information regarding the garden tractor pull, please call the number below.

(785) 443-0498 ~ Doug

For assistance on the day of the show, please call any of the following cellular phone numbers:

(785) 626-7470 ~ Harvey

(785) 626-0184 ~ Liane

(785) 626-7240 ~ Maxine

(785) 470-1546 ~ Reva

Please use this form to e-mail us. We'll get back to you in a timely manner!

Showground Facilities

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The show is held at the Decatur County Fairgrounds in Oberlin, KS, taking full advantage of the excellent facilities. All buildings used are handicapped accessible. Permanent restrooms are available in three locations. The kitchen and dining area are also permanent, indoor facilities. They're even climate-controlled for your comfort!

The display, vendor, and demonstration areas are organized in such a way that they can be easily walked, but are not condensed so much as to give the feeling of being crowded. In addition, the grounds are almost all completely flat. Display areas are grass with gravel roadways.

If you're interested in the camping arrangements available, please visit the Lodging/Camping page for more information.

Food & Refreshments

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The Mini Sappa Show utilizes the 4-H building kitchen to serve up delicious meals all weekend long. There is an excellent selection of hot and cold food, drinks, and snacks. You may, for example, want to settle in with a slice from the wide variety of fantastic desserts, or perhaps you'll desire to dig into a big bowl of mouthwatering chili. Come take advantage of the great prices and large, climate-controlled seating area! The kitchen opens early in the mornings and serves almost all day on both Saturday and Sunday. The only time the kitchen closes is during the Saturday evening ham and beans feed, which of course you won't want to miss!

Become a Vendor

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Thank you for showing interest in becoming a vendor at the Mini Sappa Show! Below, you'll find all the details you need.

Indoor Vendor Space: $15.00 per table (tables provided)
Early registration is encouraged, as indoor space is limited.
Outdoor Vendor Space: $10.00 per setup (large enough for a vehicle)
Your vendor space includes free admission and two free dinner tickets for the meal on Saturday evening. Please note that you may purchase additional meal tickets for $6.00 each.
Show hours are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm both days. You are welcome to set up in the afternoon or evening on Friday the 17th or early on Saturday morning. We require that you be ready for business by 9:00 am.
Food and refreshments are available for purchase on the grounds. This includes breakfast, which begins at 7:00 am daily. Also, there is a church service on site beginning at 8:00 am on Sunday morning.
Camping hookups are available but are limited in quantity. Please call in advance if you will be requiring one. Refer to the Lodging/Camping page or call one of the vendor contacts for more information.
Three days' notice must be given in order to receive a vendor space refund.

The Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Club will not be responsible for any accidents, theft, or damage. We will, however, take all reasonable precautions to safeguard all persons and items.

The information for the vendor contacts is shown below. Feel free to leave a message if you are unable to reach them—they're happy to help and will get back to you in a timely manner!

(785) 475-3300 ~ Reva

(785) 626-3315 ~ Maxine

If you'd like to download the 2010 Vendor Form so that you can submit it by mail, you can do so by clicking on the button labeled "VENDOR FORM" below. Clicking the button will open a new window from which you can save or print the PDF file. If you don't have a PDF reader installed on your computer, have no fear! Click here to download Adobe Reader for free. (NOTE: On the Adobe Reader page, you will probably want to uncheck the box labeled "Free McAfee® Security Scan Plus" before clicking the "Download" button.)

Become a Member

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We'd love to have you as part of our group! Membership dues are $10 per year. The price is the same for an individual or family membership, which covers everyone in a household.

Often, returning and prospective members pay their dues for the following calendar year during the show. However, you can join at any time: just contact a club member to get things started. If joining by mail, please send a check made out to Mini Sappa Antique & Thresher Association to the following address:

Mini Sappa Antique & Thresher Association
Maxine Wright, Treasurer
207 Plumb Street
Atwood, KS 67730

You'll then be added to the club mailing list, and we'll send you your membership card.

You can also join at one of our monthly meetings. We get together on the evening of the second Sunday of each month for a potluck dinner and business meeting. Find out more about these meetings and everything else the club has to offer on the page entitled The Club Today!

Show History

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We're in the process of writing an article on the history of the show, and we're busy sorting through photos, newspaper clippings, video tapes, and more! Please check back at a later time to see what we dig up.

To tide you over, you can check out photos taken at the very first Mini Sappa Show by clicking here!

Stationary Engines

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Stationary engines are an important part of agricultural history. After all, not all the belt work was done with tractors. These little (and sometimes no-so-little!) engines were used to power all sorts of machines, from washing machines to hay elevators. Luckily for us, many of these treasures have been preserved or lovingly restored and will be out in full force at the Mini Sappa Show. Among the lineup will be several engines running equipment like pumpjacks and grain grinders. Others will simply be happily chugging away in their unmistakable hit and miss style.

Vintage Tractors

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The vintage tractor display is a favorite for many of the visitors! A long line of red, green, blue, yellow, and everything in between will be there to greet you and to take you back to a time long before air conditioned tractor cabs, GPS navigation, and in many cases, exhaust mufflers! Many people sing praises of the unmistakeable John Deere two-cylinder putt-putt sound (see the late, great Duane Larson's detailed explanation here), while others can think of nothing better than a straight-piped Case. Still others prefer the sweet music of an M International, or perhaps that of an Oliver diesel. Whatever your favorite tune is, you'll hear it at the Mini Sappa Show!

Join us each day for the exhibitors' parade, as the owners crank up their machines and familiar sights, smells, and sounds fill the area. This is also the time when the day's Top 5 and People's Choice Award will be presented. The People's Choice Award is chosen from all of the auto and tractor exhibits. Anyone can vote, so be sure to pick up a ballot at the registration table! The parade will begin at 4:00 pm on Saturday and 3:00 pm on Sunday.

Of course, not all of the exhibits are gleaming like they did when they wheeled off the assembly line. We encourage working tractors to join in on the fun too! After all, these tractors were built to last, and many of them are still used almost every day on area farms. So don't be shy—kick the tires and light the fires. Those aren't dents and scrapes, they're badges of honor!

Speaking of working tractors, don't forget to check out the antique farm machinery demonstrations. A variety of tractors will be belted up to run the theshing machine, saw mill, and other equipment. It's a great chance to see the tractors settle in and do a little work for play.

Cars and Trucks

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A variety of autos come to the show every year, offering a great mixture of classics and customs. All makes, models, years, and styles are welcome to come strut their stuff in the display area and exhibitors' parade.

Top Five plaques and a People's Choice Award are presented each day during the parade. Anyone can vote for the People's Choice Award, which is chosen from all of the auto and tractor exhibits, so be sure to grab a ballot at the registration table! The parade will begin at 4:00 pm on Saturday and 3:00 pm on Sunday.

Vendor Market

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Come browse through the vendor market area, and you'll be surprised what you can find! From creative crafts to rare antiques and from tasty treats to vintage literature, you'll enjoy the variety of items available.

If you'd like to learn about becoming a vendor at the Mini Sappa Show, please view the Become a Vendor page.

Antique Farm Machinery Demonstrations

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We invite you to come see "how 'twere done in grandpappy's day" as we crank up and take a giant step backward in time with the antique farm machinery demonstrations. Throughout the show, you'll see us threshing wheat, baling straw, shelling and grinding corn, and sawing wood—all with belt power!

Agriculture has come a long way, and this is a wonderful opportunity to see some of the great stepping stones of technological progression doing just what they were designed to do. Feel free to ask about the machines and their tasks. We'll be happy to tell you about them!

Garden Tractor Pull

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For the past several years, we've hosted a garden tractor pull on Saturday afternoon. This provides great fun for both pullers and spectators, as each garden tractor tries its luck against the progressive pulling sled. It's all for fun so, new or old, feel free to bring your garden tractor to the showgrounds and prove to everyone just what it's made of!

Click the play arrow below to watch some of the pulling action from the past.

Video Courtesy of Casey Mullins

For the Kids!

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The Mini Sappa Show is a great place for kids to learn and have fun. Come take a journey aboard the 15 inch gauge model train and tour the show grounds by hopping in the barrel train. If you prefer the old-fashioned way, jump on the horse-drawn wagon as it makes its rounds.

The kids' pedal tractor pull on Saturday morning always proves to be a fun event. Classes are divided for kids ages 3-6, 7-9, and 10-11. There's no need to pre-register: just go to the bleacher area at 11:00 am. There will be 1st and 2nd place trophies for each class.

There are a variety of other games and activities throughout the weekend. We try to change them up from year to year to keep things new and interesting!

FAQ

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Q: How much does admission to the show cost?
A: Admission is free!

Q: What time does the ham and beans feed begin? How much does it cost?
A: The ham and beans feed begins at 6:00 pm on Saturday. Tickets for the meal cost $6.00 per person. Exhibitors and vendors each receive two tickets for free!

Q: What time is the exhibitors' parade?
A: The parade begins at 4:00 pm on Saturday and 3:00 pm on Sunday.

Q: Are the showgrounds handicapped accessible?
A: Yes, all of the show buildings are handicapped accessible. The showgrounds are nearly all flat and can be navigated easily.

Q: Are dogs allowed on the showgrounds?
A: Yes! We do require that they be held on a leash, however.

Q: Is alcohol allowed on the showgrounds?
A: No!

Q: How can I get involved or become a member?
A: We'd love for you to join our group! Visit the Become a Member page for all the information you'll need. Also, feel free to contact a member through the Contact Us page.

Q: Do I have to stay for the whole weekend if I'm an exhibitor?
A: No. We'd love to have you there on both days but understand that it isn't always feasible.

Q: Is there a limit to how many exhibits I can enter?
A: Of course not! The more the merrier.

Q: If I leave my exhibit at the showgrounds overnight, will it be safe?

A: We do our best to make sure the grounds are safe and secure. Local law enforcement patrols the showgrounds throughout the night. Overhead security lights keep the grounds lit. In addition, several club members camp on the grounds and keep a keen ear out. We're happy to say that we've never had any trouble in the past.

Q: Are tractors with steel lugs or cleats allowed on the showgrounds?
A: Yes! These tractors are welcome in the display area and grounds outside of the model train track.

Do you have an unanswered question? Feel free to contact a member. Visit the Contact Us page for more information. We'll be glad to help!

The Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Club will not be responsible for accidents.

Map/Directions

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The Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show is held at the Decatur County Fairgrounds in Oberlin, KS. At the intersection of US Highways 36 and 83, turn west and travel approximately 0.3 miles. The fairgrounds are on the south side of US Highway 36.

If you need assistance on the day of the show, please feel free to call one of the cellular phone numbers on the Contact Us page.

View Larger Map

Lodging/Camping

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There are several options if you wish to stay in Oberlin during the show.

Lodging:

Frontier Motel
207 E. Frontier Parkway
Oberlin, KS 67749
(785) 475-2203

LandMark Inn Bed & Breakfast
189 S. Penn Avenue
Oberlin, KS 67749
(888) 639-0003

On-Site Camping:

Camping is available on the showgrounds. The fee for camping on the grounds is $20.00 per night. This fee will be paid to the Decatur County Fairboard, and a club member will collect it at the show. In addition, there is a form that must be filled out and returned to the member collecting the fees.

Spaces with electrical hookups are limited so reservations need to be made in advance with a club member. Please see the Contact Us page for detailed contact information.

Food and refreshments are available for purchase on the grounds during the hours of the show. This includes breakfast, which begins at 7:00 am daily. Also, there is a church service on site beginning at 8:00 am on Sunday morning.

Off-Site Camping:

Terrace Gardens RV Park
900 W. Columbia Street
Oberlin, KS 67749
(785) 475-2308

Admission (FREE!)

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That's right! Admission to the Mini Sappa Show is free. There are no entry or parking costs whatsoever, so bring the whole family for a great day out!

If you would like to make a donation to the Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Club in aid of the show, however, you are welcome to do so. Just contact one of the club members. One way to contribute is to purchase a membership. To find out more, visit the Become a Member page.

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Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show

Get Ready for the Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show!

Show Flyer

Saturday Evening Ham and Beans Feed

2011 Raffle

Mini Sappa Dash Plaque Collection

Mini Sappa Button Collection

Show History

Top Links

Quilt Show

Become an Exhibitor

The Club Today

Guestbook

Contact Us

Showground Facilities

Food & Refreshments

Become a Vendor

Become a Member

Show History

Stationary Engines

Vintage Tractors

Cars and Trucks

Vendor Market

Antique Farm Machinery Demonstrations

Garden Tractor Pull

For the Kids!

FAQ

Map/Directions

Lodging/Camping

Admission (FREE!)