The Wagons Will Soon Be Circling in Madras

The wagons, sleighs, buggies, harness and old farm equipment are returning to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras for the 34th annual Small Farmer’s Journal Horsedrawn Auction and Swap April 18-20. Thousands of people are expected from all across North American (and beyond) to compete against one another at auction and swap meet for thousands of horsedrawn items and related country antiques.

Madras is dead center of farm and ranch country, where folks appreciate the heritage and the craftsmanship that has, for over a hundred years, elegantly shaped rich lives from this high desert landscape. It’s the perfect setting and community for the SFJ Auction, an event which is more market festival and reunion gathering than anything else.

Picture a couple of hundred old wagons and carriages, mixed in with thousands of items including sleigh bells, plows, saddles, blacksmithing tools, mowers, sheepwagon bows, stagecoaches, harness, old books, dutch ovens, anvils, bits and spurs. Now blend in folks of every age and walk of life, all there because they share a love of the working animals of the past and future.

Then encircle these two elements with swap meet vendors, small farm trade fair booths, free clinics and demonstrations, music, food and a draft horse plowing match. What you have is a truly rich and unique family experience which also serves as both a training venue for young folks and a reunion for the old hands. It happens every April, around the third weekend, and it happens nowhere else but in Madras.

The schedule is packed full. Starting Wednesday April 17, during the whirlwind check-in for the auction, the Jethro Tull Draft Animal Plowing Match joins up with field demonstrations of horsedrawn implements slated for auction sale.

April 18-20, three days of vibrant and fun-filled auctioneering allows thousands of items to change hands. During that time the swap meet, trade fair, clinics and food vendors all sing along together to entertain and satisfy what has come to be the warmest, friendliest bunch of folks you can imagine. Whether you want to watch buggies sell, or bid on a plow or harrow, or check out the sheep dog demonstrations or bid on blacksmithing anvils, or try on old clothes, or get measured for custom boots, or have a hat shaped for you, or learn how to harness a horse, there’s just plain too much to do and see. So bring the whole family and spread out to gather it all in.