Robby Soults has been a terrific, active member of Branch 8 of EDGE & TA since the 1980s.
He chooses to serve behind the scenes rather than in public. The Branch office he has held is Vice President, several terms, and his wife was an outstanding newsletter editor.
His major interest is large, unusual tractors, which he has sought, & purchased, from all across the U.S.. Some of those are Allis Chalmers G, Crossmount Case, Farmall M, Field Marshall, 9N Ford, Happy Farmer, John Deere A, AO, B, BO, D, GP, Rumeley steam traction engine, 1220 Rumeley, 1728 Rumeley, 2040 Rumeley, and 3061 Rumeley. He also has helped friends shop for and bring home to California innumerable tractors. He has tractor collector friends all across the U.S. and is quite knowledgable.
Our Branch 8, and especially Robby, was largely responsible, along with farmer George Watte, for establishing the CA Antique Farm Equipment Show, which has been held in Tulare CA each April since 1992, on the grounds of the International Agri-Center, where the largest new farm equipment exposition of the U.S. is held in mid-February each year and attracts buyers and shoppers from the entire world. When it was seen that the kitchen of the social hall there needed better/more cabinets, Robby commissioned and paid for them, enabling Branch 8 to hold an annual November swap meet on the grounds for 17 years, rent free, where he donates the use of a forklift and also helps in the food booth. Without his morning delivery of doughnuts people surely might perish!
Because of Robby’s expert knowledge of tractors he has announced the parade at the CA Antique Farm Equipment Show each year and he recognizes most of the participants driving in the parade, as well as their equipment, and makes humorous comments to them, which is very entertaining.
For many years at the Antique Show he prepared the ground for the tractor pull event. His interest in tractors began when he was a child, driving a tractor for his grandfather, and now his grandchildren and great grandchildren can drive his.