The 12th Annual Holbeach Vintage Rally celebrated 60 Years of the Ferguson TE20 tractor in 2006 by re-creating a typical 1960s rural trade stand. This recreation of a Boston Tractors stand focused on the "Red Giants" 100-series with examples of Massey Ferguson 135, 165 & 168 tractors together with a couple of seed drills, potato harvester and various ploughs all made by Massey Ferguson, placed around a typical small marquee. Inside the tent, sponsored by the Fens Food & Flower Festival Project, was a selection of photocopied literature of machinery from the period.

The layout this year remained broadly similar to 2005 with the show centred on the flatter part of the showground. There was a much larger craft tent with quite a variety of stalls but outside stalls seemed fewer, maybe because they were intermingled with model and bygone displays. However, they were a good mix with tractor parts, die-cast models, hand tools, cycles and accessories, plants and a garage clear-out junk stall. Suffice to say, an authentic Barford Atom steerage toolbar frame suitable for the garden tractors came home in the van.

The stationary engine line-up expanded this year with entries being over-subscribed for the space available, but a couple of Saturday-only exhibitors meant some late entries could be accommodated. Unfortunately, this also meant that all the unusual and rare engines booked in were not on show when most people came through the gate on the Sunday, but Fathers' Day can't be helped. For those that came on Saturday, they were able to look at Monitor, Gray and Cooper engines, which are rarely seen, even at large shows. The theme for the balance of the class was 1940s vertical engines with examples of Lister D, Wolseley WD I, II & VIII, Bamford EG/EV1, Ruston Hornsby PTs, Fowler PA and Petter water-cooled in show. Working equipment included several water pumps, cattle cake mill, hacksaw and lathe.

The tractor section is still recovering from last year's cancellation that-never-was crises but still mainly consists of local classic tractors. However, the pull of the East of England Show at Peterborough on the same weekend draws away several vintage and veteran tractors that might otherwise attend. One interesting display of modern John Deere and Caterpillar tractors against their 1950s counterparts illustrated the giant steps farming mechanisation has taken in the last five decades. The horticultural class remains fairly static with the usual Trusty, Barford Atom and Ransomes machines, plus a Munro Tiller and Wrigley motor hoe.

The classic car contingent seemed a little fewer in numbers this year with no real veteran examples as in previous years. Maybe the Lagonda was the most unusual but you could have done a deal to buy a 1970/80s Cadillac for £3000. I did have a good look but I don't think it would fit in the garage, mores the pity. The commercials provided an interesting mix of light and heavy vehicles, plus no less than three Austin Champs amongst the military section. Motorcycles were few in number on Saturday but more came in on Sunday.

The steam section included Roy Pratt's Mann wagon and his Aveling & Porter road roller. Another welcome return to Holbeach was Steve Ross's Fowler roller "Dorothy", now back on the road after lengthy refurbishment. The last engine to show was the 1923 Fowler road locomotive No 16044 but unfortunately the Waling family's Foster showman's engine "Lord of the Isles" did not make it.

One item in the programme was Agricultural Antics which was to be an extension of the hay-rake game from 2005. It had been planned to have a tractor balancing kit in use but some mis-information meant this could not be got to the site. However, we did have the ball-lift on 3-point linkage, the objective being to raise the ball off a cone, cart it round a mild obstacle course and replace it on the cone without dropping it. This was a game of patience and skill and was completed by several of the participants.

The main event was to be the bale race. The objective here was to load a number of bales by pitchfork on to a 4-wheel trailer towed by matching David Brown tractors, manoeuvre around a slalom course, unload by pitchfork and stack by hand in the same basic order as they were at first. On Sunday, a heats system was employed whereby the "professionals" could be challenged by all-comers, culminating in a grand finale. However, by this time the bales were starting to come apart and some over-confidence by the pilots resulted in some spillage and taking out of cones, with added time penalties. I'm not actually sure who won in the end, but it certainly made a spectacle for the visitors who enjoyed the whole thing immensely.