The first Fendt Evaporator meeting in Marktoberdorf on Saturday, July 15, 2023, was a great success. The board of the Fendt Classic Club e.V. (FCCI), founded in 2021 to preserve and maintain the historic substance of the Fendt brand, had invited to the event and hoped for about 100 Fendt Dieselross tractors and several thousand visitors.
First Fendt Evaporator meeting with 100 Fendt Dieselross tractors and 3000 visitors
The first Fendt Evaporator meeting in Marktoberdorf on Saturday, July 15, 2023, was a great success. The board of the Fendt Classic Club e.V. (FCCI), founded in 2021 to preserve and maintain the historic substance of the Fendt brand, had invited to the event and hoped for about 100 Fendt Dieselross tractors and several thousand visitors.
However, without registration or ticket sales, the organizers could only hope that the publications in the run-up to the event would have an effect. But the expectations of the hosts were even exceeded: Exactly 100 Fendt Evaporator Dieselross tractors from the 1930s to the 1950s - more precisely, the F9, F12, F18 and F18 H models - were on hand; and more than 3,000 visitors didn't want to miss the spectacle. One thing in particular pleased Sepp Nuscheler, chairman of the FCCI: "There were an incredible number of young people. Among the visitors, but also among the participants."
Katharina Hartmann (28), for example, drove up from Wildpoldsried. She drove a good 20 kilometers on her grandfather's old diesel-powered Fendt tractor, with which she often rode as a co-driver. He passed on his enthusiasm for vintage tractors to his granddaughter. And now she is at the meeting with the support of co-driver Katharina Krumm. And Charel Thommes (11), accompanied by his dad Pascal, already traveled all the way from Luxembourg on Friday. In the summer, the two drive to classic tractor meetings almost every weekend. Their favorite is their 1950 F 18 H. "Almost everything about it is still original," says the boy behind the wheel. Unfortunately, he is not yet allowed to drive the historic tractor. But he can, he says with a grin.
(ltr) Katharina Hartmann and Katharina Krumm with a Fendt Dieselross from Wildpolsried
(ltr) Pascal and Charel Thommes arrived from Luxembourg.
At around 8 a.m., the parking lot in front of the Fendt Forum in was already covered in rising smoke, and the engines were rattling. After registration of the participants, a short vehicle check by TÜV Süd followed, so that even the non-registered Dieselross tractors were allowed to take part in the round trip through the town of Marktoberdorf afterwards. Then the Evaporators rolled onto the large Fendt circuit on the company premises and lined up roughly according to year of manufacture and chassis number, so that the visitors could easily see the vehicle development over the years.
The first visitors also arrived on the grounds early in the morning and watched the classic tractor owners unload, start and register their tractors. Visitors were led onto the grounds through the Fendt Forum - past the latest Fendt tractors and implements and out into the outdoor area with a stage, food trucks and seating in the shade. The official opening took place shortly after 10 am.
As host, Sepp Nuscheler welcomed the people, followed by words of welcome from Maria Rita Zinnecker, District Administrator in Ostallgäu, Michael Eichinger, Third Mayor of Marktoberdorf and Walter Wagner, Managing Director for Research and Development at AGCO/Fendt and board member of the FCCI. "Verdampfet sche", was the appeal in Allgäu language, which first the District Administrator and then also her two follow-up speakers addressed to the participants and visitors. Enjoy the day!
The young group "Blechbätscher" from Marktoberdorf and the surrounding area provided the best atmosphere throughout the day with great brass music; and the Allgäu Show, organized by actress, presenter and culture creator Monika Schubert from Marktoberdorf, entertained the visitors with yodeling, alphorn blowers, Schuhplattler and traditional costume couples dancing.
Genuss&Harmonie, a catering service of Fendt in Marktoberdorf, and several food trucks from the area with hearty and sweet offerings provided for the physical well-being at the festival; of course, the ice cream stand was especially popular at these temperatures. But even the ice cream machine got too hot at times on Saturday and went on strike. With temperatures consistently above 30 degrees in the shade, the weather on the day of the event was quite a challenge - for man and machine. The diesel engines also needed an above-average amount of water in their tanks in this heat, as it evaporated and evaporated quickly.
Throughout the day, visitors had the opportunity to meet drivers and vehicles on the circuit. Many technical discussions, spontaneous photo shoots and astonished looks could be observed. Practical: Each Dieselross Evaporator was provided with an information plate created during registration, so that model, year of manufacture and chassis number were visible at first glance. Four special vehicles were finally honored on stage.
Michael Barnsteiner from Ottobeuren came to the meeting with a Dieselross from 1933 - he was sure to win the award for the oldest Dieselross.
At the vehicle award ceremony, the following Fendt Evaporators or owners received certificates and victory ribbons:
Oldest Fendt Dieselross Evaporator: F 9 year of construction 1933; Michael Barnsteiner, Ottobeuren
Youngest Fendt Dieselross Evaporator: F 18 H built in 1950: Michael Kollmann, Lengenwang
Fendt Dieselross Evaporator with the longest journey: F 18; Hans ten Napel, Vriezenveen, Netherlands; over 800 km journey
Fendt Dieselross Evaporator with the longest journey on the road; F 18 H, Martin Hasler, Immenstadt, 50 km journey
For the award ceremony, the vehicles drove up to the stage one by one, and the diesel-powered tractors could be admired by the crowd, while the drivers were honored on stage.
The group of award-winning participants together with Walter Wagner, Managing Director Research & Development Fendt (left) and Sepp Nuscheler, Chairman of FCCI (right).
Martin Hasler from Immenstadt received the certificate for the longest journey on the road.
The highlight for everyone involved was definitely the round trip through the town of Marktoberdorf. The Fendt Dieselross Evaporators were guided from their respective places on the circuit past the many visitors and through a gate into the Fendt production area. There they passed some new Fendt tractors - a nice contrast of history and present.
They continued inside the Fendt premises through the archway decorated with flowers at the old gate - a special moment. Crossing the railroad crossing, the participants drove along Jahnstrasse and Tigaustrasse to the B16, then the vehicles turned onto the market square before passing the Fendt family villa, where a historic Fendt gasoline grass mower was on display in the driveway and Peter Fendt and family waved at the garden gate. All in all, hundreds of Marktoberdorf residents lined the circuit, waving and cheering - especially when a driver honked his horn.
When the vehicles arrived back at the festival site, they received a participant gift consisting of a specially made shiny small flywheel with engraving "1st Fendt Verdampfer meeting on July 15, 2023 in Marktoberdorf" and individually for each participant the chassis number was engraved by hand directly on site by the trainees of Fendt. In addition, there was Dieselross engine oil including jug for the vehicles and Dieselross beer for the drivers.
At the farewell, many participants already asked for a repetition of the successful event. A nice sign and motivation for the responsible persons of the FCCI to think about further events in the sense of the historical substance of the Fendt brand.
