For five years, the Old Threshers Show gave out Man and Woman of the Year awards to someone who made major contributions to the event that is held on the third week of August every year.

This year, event officials decided to make a change. They’re replacing the Man and Woman of the Year for the Hometown Hero award, which is given to any first responders from the Montgomery County area who raised the most money within a three-day span.

The Hometown Hero contest is one of many activities at the Old Threshers Show, which will start its 48th year on Thursday at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.

“I”m hoping it takes off and really grabs some interest and grows each year so we could keep some of that money local and support some of our local in-county departments that may not necessarily have all of the funding that they need,” said Valerie Johnson, one of the Old Threshers Show organizers. “They can use that money in their general fund how they feel necessary, whether it’s a need for equipment or training classes or anything that they would need along those lines.”

The Old Threshers Show, which celebrates Montgomery County’s farming heritage, will end on Sunday. Other attractions at the four-day event will include steam engines, antique cars and trucks, gas engines, threshing tractor games, flea market, a parade that will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, a church service, the Willard and Gloria Leverett Memorial Pedal Pull and the Pete Hart Memorial “Hart”-Land Garden Tractor Pull. Admission for people 12 years and older is $10 for all four days.

There will be a couple of musical groups that will perform at the Old Threshers Show – the Finley River Boys at 8 p.m. on Saturday and the Messengers at 11 a.m. the following day.

The Finley River Boys are from the Springfield area. They include Brad Reynolds, Bill Crider, Brett Dudenhoeffer and Alan Johnston.

“They’re new to us, but not new to the music industry,” Johnson said. “They’re a bluegrass band that plays country and gospel. They’re pretty well known.”

The Messengers will perform during the gospel music portion of the Old Threshers Show on Sunday morning.

“They’ve been to the show over in Boonville for several years, so quite a few people know them,” Johnson said. “The one person in that group, Gilbert Humphrey, used to be the general manager of KJAB Christian Radio in Mexico.”

Admission gates of the Old Threshers Show will open at 2 p.m. on Thursday. During that time, donations will be accepted for the Hometown Hero contest. At 4:30 pm. Saturday, donations will be collected and a panel from the local banks will count the money. The winner will receive a gift card and a plaque from the Old Threshers Association. All proceeds from the contest will go to the winning department or organization.

Fire and police departments in the county, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Departments, VFW organizations from both Montgomery City and Wellsville, the Montgomery County Ambulance District, the Montgomery County Communications Center and Missouri State Highway Patrol are eligible to participate. Each department or organization selects one candidate and will be given a collection jar. The winner will be decided at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday.
The Old Threshers Show held the Man and Woman of the Year award from 2019 and 2021-2024. The contest had six contestants trying to raise money for the Central Missouri Honor Flight.

Johnson said the new Hometown Hero contest gives the Old Threshers organization an opportunity to give recognition to the first responders for their efforts.

“We’re trying to draw some attention to them in what they do,” Johnson said.

The candidates for the contest are Brent Sheets of the Wellsville Fire Protection District, Endre Jefferson of the Wellsville Police Department, Cody Fortmann of the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Protection District, Ted Hicks of the Bellflower Fire Protection District, Frank Schlanker of VFW Post 4436, Alex Brant of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department and Michelle Kessler of the Montgomery County Ambulance District.