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The Results Group’s staff (from left): Donna Seamon, office manager; Tom Tarry, president; Gunnar, company mascot; Kristin Ploettner, exhibitor concierge; and Joel Comfort, exhibit sales. Image courtesy of The Results Group.

Syracuse promoter gives Madison-Bouckville show new lease on life

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
The Results Group’s staff (from left): Donna Seamon, office manager; Tom Tarry, president; Gunnar, company mascot; Kristin Ploettner, exhibitor concierge; and Joel Comfort, exhibit sales. Image courtesy of The Results Group.
The Results Group’s staff (from left): Donna Seamon, office manager; Tom Tarry, president; Gunnar, company mascot; Kristin Ploettner, exhibitor concierge; and Joel Comfort, exhibit sales. Image courtesy of The Results Group.

BOUCKVILLE, N.Y. (ACNI) – The sight of field of corn waving in the sun next summer could have signaled good-bye to the Madison-Bouckville Antique Show, but a new development this week ensures the show will go on.

Antique show promoter Jock Hengst announced two weeks ago he would no longer produce the event and had sold his 90-acre field on U.S. Route 20 to White Eagle Farms for agricultural use.

When the news reached Tom Tarry, president of Syracuse-based The Results Group, he renewed his efforts to acquire the 39-year-old show.

Tarry worked out a three-year lease with new owner Ed Carhart of Hamilton-based White Eagle Farms for his company to continue the antique show at the site. The lease price was not disclosed.

Tarry said he tried to buy the property when Hengst listed it for sale in 2007. “But we were never able to come to terms,” said Tarry, whose company produces approximately 20 events from Buffalo to Long Island.

Our “Taste of Rochester” draws 50,000 to 100,000 people,” said Tarry, who grew up in nearby Oneida.

“I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Madison County. It’s like home,” said Tarry. “I just got an e-mail from the mayor of Oneida congratulating us.”

Tarry anticipates the show will continue to be on the third weekend in August.

“Details will be ironed out when the new Madison-Bouckville Antique Dealers Association meets Nov. 30,” he said.

“There was a perception, which wasn’t really true, that the loss of this show would spell doom for the entire event, but many people thought it would have been the beginning of the end,” said Tarry.

Jim Walter, executive director of Madison County Tourism, stated in a news release Thursday that the annual Antique Week brings in more than $1.5 million for the community each year, including more than $360,000 in hotel lodging.

“The Results Group’s involvement ensures that Antique Week will continue to provide the best outdoor antiquing experience in all of New York State and will continue to help drive our local economy,” Walter said in the release. “We are looking forward to working with them and all the show promoters to grow the festival in the coming years.”

Tarry lauded the owner of White Eagle Farms for putting the community first.

“I firmly believe that leasing the field to us was not in their best interest financially. They would be better off growing corn and feeding it to their cattle. But they’re community-minded folks,” said Tarry.

With the field sown to grass, the farm will harvest one or two cuttings of hay before the show in August, said Tarry.

Changes are in store for the show, said Tarry, but no change in price is expected. One improvement planned is luxury restroom facilities exclusively for show exhibitors. He also promised improvements in the guest experience.

“Our guests will be able to plan the details of their trip to the show before ever leaving home,” said Tarry.

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