By Conrad Fiskness

Roger Siemsen from Hutchinson, Chapter 15 member and former board of director member, has a tractor that is likely one of the more well-traveled tractors in the club. It has been in the Case IH corporate headquarters atrium in Racine, Wis., attended the Case IH company picnic and has been a part of the Case IH display at several Farm Progress Shows and similar shows around the Midwest during the summer.

The tractor that is so special is a 1970 International 826 gold demonstrator. It has a German diesel engine and is a gear drive. It was originally sold by Hackbarth Implement in Cosmos to Joe Hartung. It was later traded in to Arnold’s Implement in Litchfield. From there it was resold to Carl Hellwig of Litchfield. Hellwig passed away in December of 2005 and in March of 2006 Siemsen purchased it from Hellwig’s wife.

When Siemsen first inspected the tractor it was loose, but it would not start. He succeeded in getting it running and then began with the mechanical restoration. While he was working on the restoration, Case IH was looking for a gold demonstrator to use as part of the introduction of two new models of tractors. The new 305 Magnum and 535 Steiger would also have gold demonstrators as part of their introduction. The top 100 Magnum dealers got 100 gold 305s and the top 50 Steiger sales dealers got 50 of the gold 535s.

Brent Mueller, an employee of Case IH, asked his father, Al Mueller, who was an employee of Arnold’s Implement in Kimball if he knew of any gold demonstrators. Mueller called Chapter 15 member, Harlan Johnson of Litchfield. Johnson knew Siemsen had purchased the 826 and informed Siemsen of the Case IH interest.

Siemsen was then contacted by Case IH headquarters when he received a call from Randy Woods, sales manager responsible for Case IH tractor sales, to see if the tractor was for sale. Siemsen did not wish to sell but the possibility of a lease was discussed. Woods came out to see the tractor and while visiting with Siemsen, saw his restored Super MD. Woods was so satisfied by what he saw that a lease arrangement was agreed upon. The painter of the Super MD was engaged by Case IH to work on the 826, and Case IH completed the restoration that Siemsen had started. The result is a tractor that looks and functions like one fresh off the assembly line. Much of the hauling of this tractor has been done by Arnold’s Implement of Glencoe.

The last of the 2008 shows at which the 826 was featured was in September at Husker Harvest Days near Grand Island, Neb. There the 826 stood at the entrance of the rather large tent that was the command central for the very significant display Case IH had set up for the show. The Case IH employees working at the show said that 826 really caught the eye of show attendees and helped to create great interest in their display.

See the gold demonstrator near the Fairlane Building at the Roundup event at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds.

Meet Conrad Fiskness

Fiskness is a charter member of International Harvesters Collectors of Minnesota Chapter 15 since its founding in 1994. He had joined the national organization immediately after hearing of its formation. He was elected to the board of directors of Chapter 15 in 1998 and served two years as secretary and seven years as president.

He was born and raised on a farm in west central Minnesota. His father’s first new tractor was a 1940 M, which he purchased at his auction in 1991. After a while it seemed to be lonely and a Super C was added. Then he purchased a W-4 at the 1999 National Red Power Roundup in Hastings. One by one others were added and today Fiskness has 11 — the complete Letter Series gas tractors plus a WD-6 and a 460 Gas. He also has a Cub Cadet 125 and a few implements that round out the collection.

He said has met many wonderful people at IH functions, and has made many friends. Many memories have been added to his IH collection.