WOODY TURNER

By Staff
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Woody Turner stands amid the engines at the 1981 show. Photo courtesy Commercial Review.
Woody Turner stands amid the engines at the 1981 show. Photo courtesy Commercial Review.
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Covering a ten-ton diesel engine purchased by Tri-State for a permanent display at their headquarters. The engine served from 1926 to 1946 to drive machinery in a tile factory in Brownstown, IN. Dave Reum, Cowan and Kenny Doherty, Geneva, cover the engine
Covering a ten-ton diesel engine purchased by Tri-State for a permanent display at their headquarters. The engine served from 1926 to 1946 to drive machinery in a tile factory in Brownstown, IN. Dave Reum, Cowan and Kenny Doherty, Geneva, cover the engine
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604 East North Street Portland, IN 47371

Gas engines are the center of attention at the annual Antique
Engine and Tractor Show held in Portland, Indiana, each August.
Woody Turner, as president of the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor
Association, Inc., has been the guiding power behind this show
which has grown to be the largest show of its kind in the world
with a gross of $82,000 in 1981. This 1981 event attracted
exhibitors from fourteen states with some coming from as far away
as California, Texas and Florida. These exhibitors brought 1600 gas
engines, 165 tractors and four steam engines. Thousands came in
campers, in cars and on foot to browse and reminisce amid the smoke
and sputter of the engines. Turner describes the people who come
each year as ‘good down-to-earth people with a common
interest.’ This common interest is watching the engines and
tractors in operation.

The engine show had a modest beginning. Turner had become
interested in small engines in 1964 after seeing a collection in a
museum in Montana. He bought some engines for himself and attended
tractor and engine shows. He observed that tractors received most
of the attention. Gas engine owners told him they wanted a show of
their own. In January, 1965, he sent letters to 30 area engine
owners inviting them to a meeting. Despite ice and snow, thirteen
men attended and decided to continue their planning at a meeting in
two weeks. At that time, they organized the non-profit organization
and elected Turner president. Turner, a factory employee of a
forgings manufacturer, began using managerial skills he never
realized he possessed. The new organization needed a place for a
show and the Ft. Recovery, Ohio Jaycees needed a money-making
project. They combined their efforts and held the first Antique
Engine and Tractor Show in Ft. Recovery. Sixty gas engines, five
tractors and two steam engines made up that first exhibit. They did
not make any money with only 500 paid admissions, but they found
that people were interested in small gas engines. They immediately
began to make plans for the show next year with them as sole
sponsors.

The association moved the show to the Jay County Fairgrounds in
1966 where it has flourished for the last fifteen years. To
increase community interest, antique dealers were invited to be
part of the 1967 show. This, too, has grown, and in 1981, 140
dealers sold their wares with 100 more on a waiting list for
space.

Turner also uses entertainment to help draw the public through
the gate. A Saturday night amateur fiddler’s contest was
introduced in 1969 with seven fiddlers. Turner found his first
contestants by visiting shows and personally asking them to come
for the competition. A Friday night banjo contest was introduced in
1971. These contests have proven so successful that a limit of 20
contestants has been imposed. The contestants are capable,
non-professional musicians who play for the love of performing. The
winners of the contests receive trophies and each contestant is
given $20 expense money. Blues groups play informally on the
grounds on Thursday evening and thirty minutes before the contests
on Friday and Saturday.

‘Don’t make too many mistakes,’ is Turner’s
philosophy for being a successful promotor. After the first show in
1965, he turned to Eldrew Cissell, a longtime Portland newspaper
man for advice on publicizing the event. Turner’s natural
instincts and Cissell’s knowledge of advertising techniques
account for much of the growth of the annual shows. Turner had
never been president of an organization before but he was an apt
student. His plan was a simple one: visit as many shows as
possible, figure out what they were doing wrong, and then avoid the
same mistake. Turner provides free camping space and gate passes to
keep the exhibitors happy. Careful attention is given to the
arrangement of exhibits and traffic flow patterns to make visitors
comfortable. Plenty of Lion burgers and whole hog sandwiches plus
the usual county fair food is available on the grounds. He also
believes in using newspaper, radio and television advertising. He
distributes 50,000 flyers throughout the tri-state area.

Turner recently resigned as president of the association and is
leaving behind an enviable record of achievement. In addition to
sponsoring the annual show, the organization has purchased 19 acres
of land adjacent to the Jay County Fairgrounds. They have erected a
building that contains a club house and storage space for antique
machinery. They recently purchased a 1924 two-cylinder
Fairbanks-Morse diesel 100 horsepower engine. It is expected to be
in operation next summer during the show. New restrooms, more
camping sites and more exhibit space will provide for expanded
activities in the future. Turner is succeeded by Dave Reum, Cowan,
and he will be assisting the new president with the 1982 show set
for August 26-29.

Turner’s plans for the future include promoting the two
bluegrass festivals he sponsors. He started with one festival in
1977 at the urging of a friend who was interested in bluegrass. He
admits he knew nothing about bluegrass but he does know how to
promote a festival. He added a second festival in 1981 and is busy
with plans for the two events. Making them as successful as the
engine show just might keep Woody Turner busy in retirement!

  • Published on Sep 1, 1982
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