Celebrating the heroes and history of America
Born out of love for heritage and community, the 9th Annual Best of the West Antique Equipment Show returns to the historical Santa Margarita ranch this Memorial Day Weekend, May 24 through May 26.
Organized by the Paso Robles Pioneer Day Committee and the Rossi Foundation, this annual event promises a weekend filled with exploration, education, and entertainment, all while benefiting the Paso Robles Pioneer Day Parade and festivities. The weekend welcomes families and the community to come together to celebrate agricultural heritage while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors.
Preparing for the big weekend starts months in advance to get the stars of the show ready. Chair of the Paso Robles Pioneer Day Committee, Austin Sligh, spoke with Paso Magazine / Atascadero News Magazine about what it takes to get the tractors and equipment ready for Best of the West.
Following Pioneer Day, Austin and the committee take a thourough look at the equipment, taking note of anything that needs to be fixed, restorations that may be needed, and they create check list of everything that needs to be done in time for Memorial Day weekend.
“Whether it be tearing things apart and complete overhauls of components or whether it just be service oils, greases, things like that,” Austin explained.
The Pioneer Day Committee owns around 40 pieces of tractors and equipment, most of which came from local farms and ranches of generational families. Other committee members or locals bring out their equipment to join the show, too.
A few weeks before Best of the West, all of the equipment gets pulled out of the barns for a good washing and tune up. Then, everything is loaded up and taken out to the Santa Margarita Ranch. Some tractors and equipment from out of state even make it out to the ranch to be shown off for the community.
“One of the big things we do every morning is that we treat them, not only our tractors, but anyone’s who’s there, they all get checked for water, they all get checked for oil and we treat everybody the same,” Austin said.
Santa Margarita Ranch poses as the perfect location to enjoy a family gathering outside and teach the younger generations about the heritage of our area.
“The tractors are a huge part of it [the show],” explained Austin, “I mean, the tractors attract the people, but to get the community involved is really what we’re after.”
Austin, a North County local, attended Best of the West during one of the event’s first years. From there, he was hooked.
“It started with just helping, helping with one and then getting a tractor going that had been sitting along the fence for Lord knows how many years,” Austin said as he recalled working with a friend to get that tractor in shape and then driving it in his first Pioneer Day Parade. “And then, as time goes on, everyone down there becomes family. So I live and breathe it.”
Now, tractors and Pioneer Day have become a part of his family, “My kids are up and coming. They’re still pretty little, but my house is full of tractors as well, too.”
For Austin, one of the best parts of the Best of the West weekend is seeing the kids get excited to see the tractors and hear them start up.
“To see the looks on their faces when you start [the tractor] … when we start parading those things around, just the looks on their faces [is rewarding],” said Austin.
And by getting the youth excited about the equipment, it, in turn, hopefully brings them a little closer to agriculture.
Austin adds that “[Pioneer Day] was started to show appreciation for the farmers in the community. And I think it’s extremely important to keep it with that goal in mind.”
Many fan-favorite activities will be back at the ranch, including the Farm Bureau’s tri-tip dinners and other food vendors (including a bar), parades, and the Kid’s Corral. At noon each day, all operations will pause for a military salute and flyover courtesy of the Estrella Warbirds.
“There’s tractor shows, but there’s none like Best of the West. But the diversity of not only the tractors but the wagons, everything for the families, the kids corral the food, the airplane flyovers, the military salutes, all of the military vehicles we have.”
“I invite everyone to bring their families, come down, and at least try it.”
For more information on tickets, trailer camping, volunteering, and all the show has to offer, visit bestofthewestshow.com.
Best of the West Schedule of Events
Friday, May 24
8 a.m. | Gates open
9:45 a.m. | Train Rides begin (Pricing not included)
10 a.m. | Food and Beer open
10 a.m. | Blacksmith Demos begin
10:30 a.m. | Tractor Parade (Tractor area)
12 p.m. | Military Salute (Bar area)
1:30 p.m. | Tractor Parade
2 p.m. | Earth Moving Demo (Tractor area)
3 p.m. | Plowing Demo (Tractor area)
4:45 p.m. | Last Call on Train
5 p.m. | Gates close
Saturday, May 25 & Sunday, May 26
8 a.m. | Gates open
9:45 a.m. | Train Rides begin (Pricing not included)
10 a.m. | Food and Beer open
10 a.m. | Blacksmith Demos begin
10:30 a.m. | Tractor Parade (Tractor area)
12 p.m. | Military Salute (Bar area)
12:45 p.m. | Military Parade
1:30 p.m. | Tractor Parade
2 p.m. | Earth Moving Demo (Tractor area)
3 p.m. | Plowing Demo (Tractor area)
4:45 p.m. | Last call on Train
5 p.m. | Gates close
Feature Image by Rick Evans
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