[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Yeah, my two-cents on this meet failing is more about the meet itself. I am a second generation attendee of Chickasha, and from my vantage point of what it used to be, ...and what it has become are two different things. I used to attend where I would typically buy a full pickup bed and two-car trailer load of Model-A bodies & parts each year. The last 3 years I have struggled to even fill a single axle trailer full of stuff. To prove my point, I posted some pictures of what I purchased in 2005. To compare, I posted a picture of what I purchased in 2019, and then in 2022. I barely covered my expenses in 2022, and I lost money attending in 2023.

As far as the meet itself, the Erslands who host the meet have also lost money the last couple of times they have hosted this meet. It isn't really their fault nor is it anyone's IMO. Grady County Fairgrounds used to be a 'rough & rugged' place however it now is a very, very nice facility today. Because of the Grady County's capitol outlay on building/renovating all the new facilities, the costs now to rent the fair grounds has grown considerably. Additionally, insurance costs to cover events like this in this day & time is stupid expensive too. When you consider two years ago attendance was way down, then last year there were only about ½ as many vendors as in that previous year, ...and this year was about ½ of what was there last year, it kinda makes it difficult to even break-even financially to host such an event.


FWIW, I don't necessarily think blaming the economy for affecting this meet is truly accurate since good Model-A parts still fetch strong money ....even in the present economy. It is my observation that the underlying reason this meet is failing is that the quantity of good parts are no longer being brought to this swap meet. Places like Luray, Hershey, Gilmore Model-A Day, a MARC or MAFCA National Meet swap meet, etc. is where the good stuff is going now. Likely because sellers can fetch a better price at these listed events.??.


As far as Pate goes, as a child I was at the first dozen or so when it was actually held at the Pate ranch in Cresson, TX. Even that swap meet has changed from what it made it successful back then until now where many feel it is now too big to serve the average single-marque hobbyist. Like many others, I would rather spend my time & travel money to attend a swap meet where there are only 50 or so vendors however ALL these 50 vendors only have Model-A related parts, vs. attending a 10,000 vendor swap meet where there may be 100 vendors with Model-A parts but you must sift thru all of the Mustang, Chevelle, Camaro, Mopar, Early V-8 Ford, AND the crafts/memorabilia stuff to find that really nice Model-A item. Additionally, the costs to attend these larger swap meets have become a deal-breaker for many unless you live fairly local. Having to spend $150 a night for lodging plus high-priced food concessions at the event diminish the costs of what you can spend whereas these one-day smaller meets held in rural areas tend to make whatever you purchase a much better value IMO.

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