Most old combines, once they've outlived their usefulness or been replaced by the latest and greatest in agriculture advancements, quietly sit out their lives gathering rust, abandoned in barns.
But that trend is changing, thanks to the ingenuity of farmers throughout the West, who have discovered the entertainment value inherent in these clunky machines.
The fad of combine demolition derbies is sweeping the county fair circuit, breathing new life into retired harvesters, and allowing them to go out in a blaze of glory.
How the event works: It's a fight to the finish, so only combines ready for the junkyard-but still running-are entered. At top speeds of 7 mph, the burly beasts slam into each other, attempting to inflict fatal damage while protecting their own ability to remain mobile. Participants must make some preparations, stripping the combine of sharp objects and wearing seat belts and helmets.
"It's a real crowd-pleaser," says Brian Duyck, who organized the Combine Derby at the Park County (Wyoming) Fair this summer. It was the first time the fair held the event, and it sold out, with 11 combines taking part. "You wouldn't think there were that many old combines around, but you start looking and you just keep finding more," says Duyck, who grows beans, malt barley, clover and grass seed on his farm in Powell, Wyoming.
