2026 Iowa Plowing Association Summer Newsletter
Greetings Iowa Plowmen:
I hope everyone is doing well. Here is your summer IPA newsletter confirming our summer plowing
activities. I’ll start with our state matches and finish with the national matches.
STATE PLOWING
This year the IPA plowing matches will be hosted by Mike Fitz. I forgot what crop has been planted but
it is a small grain that will be harvested toward the end of July. We are planning to layout the plots and
practice on Friday, July 31st. We’ll try to get the plots laid out in the morning, estimated 9:00 AM start.
Practice will be immediately afterward. IPA competition will be Saturday, August 1st
.
Saturday August 1st Competition
Antique and Open classes 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Lunch break after judging 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Vintage and Kverneland small plow classes 2:00 PM – 4:40 PM
Awards 5:30 PM
Mike’s address and phone are:
Mike Fitz
2071 290th St
Melbourne, IA 50116
Phone: 641-751-9500
Hotels will be available in Marshalltown and there are quite a few good choices. I’m not sure when
detasseling will begin but the Rock Island Inn seems to be the home for quite a few traveling detasseling
companies. You may want to skip that one. Here are some suggestions.
1) Hampton Inn
2) Holiday Inn Express
3) Super 8
4) Comfort Inn
5) Baymont by Wyndham
NATIONAL PLOWING
Iowa is hosting the 2026 USAPO competition this year and the event will be held at Antique Acres in
Cedar Falls, Iowa. Here are the dates and activities.
2026 USA Plowing Competition Dates
Aug. 19 Plot layout and unload plowmen as they arrive.
Aug. 20 Practice, unload plowmen and USAPO plowmen’s banquet at 7:00 PM, on the grounds.
Aug. 21 National Antique, 1st day Vintage Small Plow and Kverneland classes.
Aug. 22 National Open, 2nd day Vintage Small Plow and Kverneland classes.
Aug. 22 Awards after completion of matches and judging.
As of today, we have enough plots available to hold the Vintage and Kverneland small plow classes for
two days. We have heard rumors that there may be a couple Junior plowmen interested in attending the
national matches but no confirmations yet. We can accommodate a few Juniors but we need to have them
confirm their plans, so we can confirm our plots.
There are a large number of hotels available near the Antique Acres show grounds. Nick and Tammy
Olinger have reserved 10 rooms at the Quality Inn Waverly for the Iowa plowmen. I believe we have
confirmations for Lyle, Opie, Joel, Dean, Nick/Tami, Brianna/Ray, Mike/Ben, John/Jen, Dick P, which
leaves one room open. Please call or send a text to Nick if you would like to join us.
Antique Acres has a dinner hall or meeting room large enough to hold the national plowmen’s banquet.
Hockey’s Smokehouse will be catering the event for us and the meal includes: Smoked pork loin, roasted
potatoes, green beans and dinner rolls. The IPA will provide water and soda for the dinner. The price of
the banquet dinner is $25 each and cash will be the accepted method of payment. Please call or text me,
or any of the board members, with your plans to attend so we can order the correct amount of food.
Here is a list of Iowa plowmen by class, for the 2026 national matches. We are allowed [4] plowmen in
the antique and open classes because we had an Iowa plowman on the podium in each of these classes at
the Ohio nationals in 2025.
Antique Class Open Class Vintage Small Plow Class Kverneland Class
Lyle Grimm Dean Miller Ben Fitz Mike Fitz
Dick Opthal Justin Adelmund Chad Adelmund Ray Elsberry
Joel McQueen Nick Olinger Craig Warner
Tryston Adelmund Brianna Brown
I look forward to seeing everyone at the state and national matches in August.
Sincerely,
Ray Elsberry
IPA President
Officers
Ray Elsberry (President)
Chad Adelmund (Vice President)
Mike Fitz (USA PO Representative)
Brianna Brown (Secretary/Treasurer)
Board of Directors
Ray Elsberry 641-485-4011
Chad Adelmund 641-750-2310
Mike Fitz 641-751-9500
Brianna Brown 641-485-5067
Lyle Grimm 319-541-9132
Nick Olinger 319-325-3846
Dick Pedersen 515-229-0360
