Joe,
I was to have attended the AGCO do with Malcolm but fate conspired and I had to go to a good friend's funeral up north. However after the funeral we managed to shoot down the M6 200 miles and catch up with Malcolm for some Massey Men's Food (a hot curry!!) near where the event had been held, and very near my son's where we were going anyway for the weekend.
This week we had a similar but more modest event on the Isle of Anglsey very near to here put on by the N Wales MF dealer Emrys Evans. It was held on the Anglesey Agricultural showground in their two huge showground sheds. It was a very good event with them displaying a very large range of MF tractors and some Fendts (also in the AGCO stable) and all the farm implements that they sell from other manufacturers e.g. Bailey trailers, Pottinger mowing and tedding equipment, McHale (Irish) round balers etc.. The latter larger models were truly massive with their side panels opened to inspect the mechanisms - you could have slept inside them!
Each range of equipment had their own reps there. I suspect that Emrys Evans had co-ordinated them taking part in the event, putting on their equipment displays and representing them with their own people which was good.
Like you I just continue to be staggered at the size of tractors and implements. Theye din't have any of the 8000 series tractors there but they did have the 7000s which are big enough. They also had a two wheel drive 5000 series which looked dinky by comparison.
They gave us a good free lunch - more Massey Mens Food! - leek and potato soup, a huge double layer thick roast ham and cheese and onion sandwhich, a slice of currant cake and a slice of cream cake, and a large mug of coffee.
I think these new type of focussed exhibitions are the way to go and very much the coming thing. We also have very large annual national action events such as muck spreading, drainage, cultivations, cereals which cover maybe 500-1000 acres which are very informative. Non of the razz mataazz of the traditional summer agricultural shows which are in a way in quite a decline and becoming very much focussed on catering for townies.
Be bold Joe and buy and MF 8000 and mothball it for your pension fund.
Incidentally it was reported in our farming magazine this week that MF are going to release a range of smaller (60-100 hp I think) "mechanical" tractors for the world market this year. Back to basics!! They could be very appropriate for we oldies who struggle with electronics.
john