All Breeds Welcome – Hundreds attend Jeep show for the first time near Garwin | News, sports, jobs

TR PHOTOS BY LANA BRADSTREAM – Several competitors ride a four-wheel-drive course at Oak Ridge MX near Garwin on Saturday. It was the first time the event was held in the region.

GARWIN – Hundreds of people were found at the Oak Ridge MX near Garwin for the Iowa All Breeds Jeep Show on Saturday and Sunday.

Five hours after the show opened Saturday morning, more than 280 people signed up to attend, and event coordinator Vince Ewald was confident they would break the attendance record.

“The overall record for the weekend is about 300,” he said. “We did it almost in a day, which is huge. Normally we don’t reach this number until Sunday. To almost get there on Saturday is pretty amazing.”

Ewald assumes that the high number of visitors is due to the central location of the trade fair. The event was held in Cambridge for 14 years before moving to Garwin. He said they were looking for a place where they could grow and expand the show and also offer camping for participants.

“Another great thing about this location is that it is equidistant from all major metropolitan areas,” Ewald said. “Where we were was much closer to Des Moines than Iowa City. This is where it splits the difference.”

Daryl Surface, a volunteer and former event chair, said Oak Ridge was the perfect location for the show.

“It’s our first year here,” he said. “The height and contour change, which makes it very attractive. It’s a large space with a lot of space, so it can accommodate a lot of people without causing congestion.”

An Iowa All Breeds Jeep Show competitor clears an obstacle on the four-wheel drive course at Oak Ridge MX near Garwin on Saturday.

This was the first time the show was held in Tama County since it began 15 years ago.

“This is a fantastic location,” said Ewald. “The great thing about it is the natural terrain. We don’t have to build everything, we already have it available. “The views, the open spaces, it’s a really beautiful place.”

Another reason for the increased attendance is the strong partnership with the sponsor, Marshalltown-based Karl Auto Group, Ewald said.

“What they’ve brought with them is a huge marketing network,” he said. “They were able to help us with digital marketing, which skyrocketed our visibility and accessibility. The radio promotions and in-person events, all run and supported by Karl, were game-changing.”

Through the location and increased marketing, Ewald met new participants. During their stay in Cambridge they had built up an audience that regularly attended. Oak Ridge has had similar events in the past that people attended.

“Now let’s bring these two together,” he said. “Our history and [Oak Ridge] Story, essentially merging two families.”

The event was aimed not only at Jeep enthusiasts and owners, but anyone interested in off-road and 4×4 vehicles, including Broncos, Rams, Land Rovers and Toyotas. “The show always starts the first morning with a car show,” Ewald said.

“This is a time when everyone can sit still or walk around and look at all the vehicles,” he said. “There are some assessments for specific categories. Then we open the space for use of the off-road courses. This time we even have great activities in the evenings with camping, fire pits and an outdoor movie screen.”

Visitors to the show had the opportunity to take part in a driving technique course suitable for both beginners and advanced riders. Surface said some of the routes were designed for people who had never converted their vehicle to four-wheel drive before.

“We have people here who are committed to helping new people,” he said. “You either ride in the vehicle or give a free ride.”

Attendees were able to visit the vendors, go to the swap meet and 4×4 show, and enter to win raffle tickets. Since it was a family-friendly event, there were also activities for the children.

“We structure it so that you really should bring the whole family,” said Ewald. “It makes you feel safe and confident. It is a safe event. We have a long history of security. There were no significant accidents. We always strive to maintain this to the best of our ability.”

He hopes the Jeep show has found a new permanent home and would like to continue partnerships with Oak Ridge MX, Karl Auto, the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, Cooper’s Tire and Auto, Key Cooperative and Dale’s Wright Tire and Auto.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or [email protected].