By Norma Dittman
Fulda Free Press staff writer
On Saturday, the Minnesota State International Harvester Summer Tractor Show was held at the home of Tony and Marie Hassebroek, near Wirock. Following the morning tractor show, the Chapter held a luncheon and meeting at the home of Dave and Joyce Kanten, Fulda.
For the tractor show, Hassebroek and his father, Daryl, displayed the fifteen tractors that they currently have in their IH collection. (At one time, their collection consisted of 100 tractors.) A friend of the Hassebroeks who is from Iowa also brought his newly restored and painted tractor for the show. The Hassebroek’s were instrumental in repairing the motor of the tractor. At the Kanten home, there were also several tractors on display, along with a couple of IHC vehicles.
At both sites there were many conversations about the tractors held by these collectors who take very seriously the responsibilities of preserving the history, products, literature and memorabilia of the International Harvester Company.
Stories about tractors that they have found or owned and restored abounded. One gentleman said, “They can all have their faults, but they are definitely worthwhile preserving.”
Tony Hassebroek is a two-year member of the Minnesota IH Collectors Chapter #15, began collecting and restoring International Harvester tractors at the age of 13. His first tractor was an F20. The oldest tractor he owned was a 1929 Case Model L. Included in his present collection of 15 are two high crop tractors – a 686 and a rare 756 of which less than 10 were manufactured.
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