Historic equipment, heartfelt tributes, and family fun mark a memorable Memorial Day weekend in North County
NORTH COUNTY — Visitors took a journey back in time this Memorial Day weekend as the Best of the West Antique Equipment Show returned to the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, running May 23–25. This year marked a special milestone as the event celebrated 100 Years of Caterpillar, honoring a century of groundbreaking machinery with rare antique equipment and live demonstrations.
Hosted by the Paso Robles Pioneer Day Committee and the Rossi Foundation, the annual event was more than just a show — it was a vibrant celebration of America’s agricultural and mechanical heritage. Guests of all ages enjoyed train rides, tractor parades, steam engines, flyovers, vintage cars, military vehicles, and interactive exhibits that brought history to life. Not only that, but Best of the West is one of the Paso Robles Pioneer Day Committee’s biggest fundraisers of the year.
Pioneer Day Tractor Committee Chair Austin Sligh told Paso Robles Press the committee recently acquired 17 tractors from the California Ag Museum — eight of which they were able to get running and bring out to Best of the West. Â
Photos by Rick Evans/PRP
“They’ve been static in the museum for 30-plus years before we acquired them last month,” Sligh said.
One of those tractors was the first model Caterpillar diesel ever sold — an appropriate and special moment with it being 100 years of the Caterpillar tractor.
“We had the first Caterpillar at the show, and we had the first Caterpillar diesel sold,” Slight shared. “We had a lot of entries from local people bringing their tractors … which was awesome.”
The committee had a special edition Best of the West T-shirt for sale, which highlighted 100 years of the Caterpillar. Sligh says the shirt was extremely popular and nearly sold out, so they will be making more and having them available for purchase online.
Sligh also adds that thanks to some local volunteers like Mike Frederick and Titus McNellis, who took over some of the trucking, this was the smoothest move back into the barns after Best of the West that he has experienced.
Another memorable moment over the weekend for Sligh was the dedication to the military on Sunday which included a speech from San Luis Obispo County Veterans Services Officer Morgan Boyd.
“I would say, [it was] almost like a breathtaking speech. It was a very excellent speech,” Sligh said. “There was so much emotion to it, and he did such a good job speaking.”
Photos by Rick Evans/PRP
As always, Best of the West carried a deeper purpose: to honor the men and women who served our country. Each day at noon, the event paused for a meaningful military salute and flyover in partnership with the Estrella Warbirds, reminding everyone of the true meaning behind Memorial Day.
Paso Robles VFW Post 10965 Post Commander Leo Castillo gave a speech, recognizing the importance of Memorial Day.
“As we gather here today on this solemn occasion of Memorial Day, we stand united in remembrance and gratitude. This day is not just a mark on the calendar; it is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by countless individuals who have donned the uniform of our armed forces,” Castillo said.
Castillo went on to remember his friend that was killed in action, “Memorial Day is a day of reflection. Some of you in the audience have a memory, a servicemember, a loved one that paid the ultimate price for freedom. I too have that memory and friend. His name was SSG Michael Mitchell. He was killed in action in Iraq on April 4, 2004. His father lives here in San Luis Obispo County and I meet with him as often as I can.”
He continued, “Mike wasn’t just a soldier. Mike was a local whose name is etched on the war memorial in Atascadero … we are grateful for SSG Mitchell, We are grateful for all of the men and women who have lost their lives so that we may enjoy a holiday weekend, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue to speak their names and be thankful to be here and breathe the air we breathe, enjoy the landscape we love, and embrace the families that we cultivate.”
Pioneer Day Committee member Tara Tedeschi told Paso Robles Press that the Best of the West weekend saw well over 10,000 attendees.
“We also had more exhibitors and more weekend campers than we’ve ever had,” she added.
Exhibitors and attendees traveled from across the country — and even around the world — to showcase equipment spanning decades. The event also hosted the Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club (ACMOC) as part of the celebration of Caterpillar’s 100th anniversary.
Tedeschi shared, “It is a 100% volunteer put-on event that we all do it for the cause to make sure that to make sure that our future generations still see history … the main purpose of doing it [is] honoring our fallen soldiers and then thanking the communities for coming out and supporting the event because the proceeds do go right back to the nonprofit as the Paso Robles Pioneer Day committee to help keep these tractors running and all the restorations and keeping the parade alive.”
A highlight for many was the Santa Margarita Ranch steam train, a historic gem that once appeared on “Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman” and included passenger coaches from the original Santa Fe and Disneyland railroads. The family-friendly event featured the always-popular Kid’s Corral, with activities like gold panning, butter making, vintage water pumps, model trains, and more. With blacksmithing, plowing and earthmoving demos, antique harvesting demonstrations, and delicious food (including the Farm Bureau’s tri-tip), there truly was something for everyone.
Tedeschi would also like to thank all of their sponsors and volunteers that helped make this event happen.
“They donate all of their time and fuel and labor to haul everything out there because that ranch is just a working cattle ranch,” Tedeschi said. “It starts as raw land, and we make it this little tractor town … we thank everybody from the bottom of our hearts because it would it wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t for the community.”
Whether fans of vintage machines, history enthusiasts, or families looking for a memorable outing, attendees found the Best of the West Show to be a can’t-miss experience that brought the past roaring back to life.
For more information on Best of the West and Paso Robles Pioneer Day, visit pasoroblespioneerday.org
