Regular visitors to Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina have likely seen the daily parade of classic trucks and farm machines go past them several times. And each year the parade of machines that make the trip around the show grounds includes some of the same equipment. Many owners of those vintage machines have been long-time participants, bringing their trucks and tractors back year after year. Sterling Hornoi is one of those who’ve contributed machines to the daily parades for several years.
Owner of Hornoi Leasing and Sterling Truck and Trailer Sales in Regina, Sterling Hornoi has been showing examples from his stable of classic heavy trucks not only at CFPS, but also at shows in several cities in the U.S. and across Canada. Sterling is a member of the American Truck Historical Society, which is made up of a broad group of Canadian and American classic truck enthusiasts.
His passion for big rigs started with a career in the trucking industry.
“I started driving trucks with one like this in ’58,” he said as he stood beside his vintage Fargo highway tractor. “August ’58 was my first trip — from Regina to Swift Current.”
Sterling had several trucks entered in this year’s CFPS vintage machinery display and daily parade. Along with the old Fargo there were a ’70s vintage Chevrolet Titan cab-over highway tractor and a pair of Hayes tractor units.
“I sold Hayes from ’72 to ’75,” he explains. “I was the dealer here in town for them.” Unfortunately, the Hayes brand suddenly ceased operations in 1975, which caused dealers like him a lot financial problems. It left them stuck with inventory that became very difficult to sell. However, Sterling was able to continue selling trucks by switching to the Volvo brand, and he is now Regina’s Volvo truck dealer.
