10-4 Magazine / November 2025 55 convoy route began on the show field, then went past the Ho-Chunk Casino, and then wound around the countryside past Reedsburg, before heading back to the show, just before the rain began. Key organizers for the Badger State Truck’n Show were Wade Riffey of Riffey Transport & Logistics and Cody Meister of Meisters Forest Products and Meister Trucking Company. Wade also recognized the following volunteers who played an important role in making this inaugural show a success – Derrick Bates, Lavan Cook, Gwen and Tom Cook, Kevin and Nicole Kropf, Shanae Riffey, and Heather and Lake Westphal. Without the hard work and dedication of these folks, the success of this event would not have been possible. Plans for next year’s event are already in progress. Wade shared with me that the 2nd Badger State Truck’n Show is scheduled for August 7-8, 2026. The host hotel will again be Ho-Chunk Gaming. Tentative activities planned for next year’s event are a local Wisconsin band playing on Friday night, Friday and Saturday night light shows at dusk, a car show all day Saturday, a Saturday morning Pancake Breakfast sponsored by Kwik Trip, a live auction of donated vendor products and convoy slots on Saturday afternoon, the Make-a-Wish convoy through the Wisconsin Dells, and a DJ spinning music to close out Saturday night. Rumor has it next year’s show will have a carnival theme – there might even be a Ferris wheel! After years of visiting the state of Wisconsin, I think I have better odds of a Punxsutawney Phil sighting than the elusive Wisconsin Badger! But who knows!! The focus of this show – big rigs, driven by people with even bigger hearts – met the goal and made wishes come true for many Wisconsin children affiliated with Make-a-Wish and St. Jude. And isn’t that what all this is about? Pencil in those dates for the 2026 show on your calendars and plan on attending. You won’t regret it! n
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