It’s in the history books.
For 25 years, the Topeka Farm Show has been a major event attracting farmers and ranchers from throughout the Midwest to Kansas’ capital city to see the latest innovations in the state and nation’s most essential industry.
“Our silver anniversary show, featuring 550 booths representing more than 300 companies from throughout the country offering about as many different kinds of agricultural products, was a tremendous success,” evaluated Steve Guenthner, show director for Tradexpos, Austin, Minnesota.
“Tradexpos owner Jack Thill saw the potential for a show in the then-relatively-new Kansas ExpoCentre at Topeka several years before starting it. Tradexpos had a special beef show in Topeka a year earlier, following trend of what had been the Mid-America Fair for more than a half century, and decided to go ahead and develop a complete farm show the next year,” Guenthner said.
“It has continued to grow, and attendance this year was 29,453,” Guenthner related. “In talking to exhibitors during move out, all sales were great with several companies setting new sales records for the show.”
“The Topeka Farm Show is a tremendous success story, and 580 WIBW is proud to have cooperated in sponsorship from the beginning. Agriculture is the key industry in Kansas, and to have the show here in the state’s capital emphasizes the importance of that industry,” said Kelly Lenz, 580 WIBW Farm Director, at a special anniversary party for this year’s exhibitors.
Guenther expressed appreciation to the Topeka Farm Show exhibitors, and acknowledged that some businesses have been a part of the show since its beginning.
H.R. Cook, general manager of the Kansas ExpoCentre, spoke to the group emphasizing importance of the Topeka Farm Show not only as a most important annual activity at the ExpoCentre, but also to the city and state as well.
“The economic impact of the Topeka Farm Show is very significant to us and all of Topeka and everybody in Kansas,” Cook admitted, as he presented an appreciation plaque to Guenthner.
Don Ankrom, Salem, Nebraska, won the drawing among all Topeka Farm Show registrants for enough Midland Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean seed to plant 50 acres “It has a value of $2,900,” Guenthner noted.
“More than 1,000 people signed up at the 580 WIBW booth during the show. Winner of the Ariat boots donated by Roy Frey Western Lifestyles was Elaine Berger of Barnes,” said Lenz, who visited with attendees and did live interviews at the show, along with Greg Akagi and Dan Johnson, also of the 580 WIBW Farm Department.
A dedicated Tradexpos staff including Guenthner, Betty Mullenbach, Deb Golberg, Fred Cline and John Thill assisted throughout the show.
The 2015 Topeka Farm Show is set for the Kansas ExpoCentre, January 6-7-8, Guenthner announced. Information is available at www.tradexpos.com.