By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent ALBERT LEA, Minn. — The 2011 Red Power Roundup is an annual event where International Harvester Collectors come to see all things red – Farmall red, that is. This year, this annual event will be held at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds in Albert Lea, Minn.
According to the Red Power website, the fairgrounds includes 70 acres of shade, buildings and displays for everything. The show dates are June 23-25. The site has been reserved for seven days, so attendees can come early, visit old friends, meet new friends and get ready for the show. Albert Lea is located at the junction of Interstates 35 and 90.
One of the highlights of the show is the consignment auction headed up by Aasness Auctioneers out of Dalton, Minn. Cary Aasness shared a bit of history about his auctioneering firm.
“I have been in business 26 years,” said Aasness. “We are a nationwide company that first started locally, then we were regional, and now we have auctions nationwide.”
Growing up on a farm influenced his decision to become an auctioneer. “As a farm kid, you know, I fell in love with the auctioning and became mesmerized with it. I decided it was something I wanted to pursue. I went to college for business and initially I wanted to be a coach, then I fell in love with this auction business.
“I have been very blessed,” he said, adding he is an international champion auctioneer. Auctions such as this at the Red Power Roundup fit right into Aasness Auctioneers’ profile because, “We do a lot real estate auctions and sell antique tractors and equipment and antiques. Grandpa was an IH man and Dad, a JD man. I grew up around these antique tractors and used them and farmed with them.”
Being familiar with old iron made Aasness decide to venture out and include them as part of his auction service.
“We started selling them and did pretty well. We’ve had the opportunity to sell some of the larger IH collections in the last five to six years. One client had over 300 tractors or so,” he said. “Quite a few people know our name and we have access to the Internet and live bidding.”
The auction at the Red Power show offers live bidding so international participants those in Germany and the Netherlands can watch and listen to the auction if they can’t come in person to Albert Lea. If a collector can make the trip, though, Aasness said it will be worthwhile because some of the consignment items are wonderful.
“The consignment auction is Friday, June 24, and starts at 9 a.m.,” he explained. “We will begin on IH memorabilia and IH toys.”
One of the highlights of the toys and memorabilia is that Aasness Auctioneers have items from an old International Harvester dealership: “We have about 300 to 500 pieces from manuals, old books from the dealership. They date back to the (19)20s, ‘30s and ‘50s.”
At 11 a.m. the auction will switch to tractors, truck and equipment. “We have close to 100 tractors,” Aasness said. “One of the features of the show is the Gold and White Demonstrators, and it is the 50th anniversary of the Cub and International Scout.
“We do have a couple of very nice Scouts that will be on sale and three Gold Demonstrators (an 826, a 1026 and a 1456). They are all very nice tractors. The 826 Gold Demonstrator was one that was on the Case IH anniversary tour.”
He said they also have a 1960 Cub Cadet Lawn tractor that is restored: “We have got a very beautiful first edition here. There is also a Cub Cadet 782 diesel, which is rare. It has a three-point hitch and a one-bottom plow. This is kind of rare, most of the time you don’t find the diesel.
“Besides the restored tractors, there are some tractors in beautiful original condition,” Aasness added. “We have a 450 with 800 actual hours. We have a 460 with 1,000 actual hours that is kind of neat. Another unique tractor is a B-450 diesel that is a British model.
“I also have a Super C diesel made in France and again, they are pretty rare in the United States. I have a 1066 with 2,400 actual hours. There are quite a few nice tractors.”
To view these or learn more about Aasness Auctioneers, log onto www.Aasnessauctioneers.com and for more information on the Red Power Roundup, log onto www.ihcc15.com/2011rpru.html |
