I would say that the Bank or the Finance Companies own the most. I have yet to come across a custom cutter, that wasn't financed to the hilt, or more than likley the combines are on lease.
There's that guy in Colorado who trades like 20 combines every year. He was trading 20 new combines every year at one dealership and almost forced the company into bankruptcy. The problem was that they couldn't sell 20 used combines every year. So, Case stepped in and divided the sales among 3 dearlerships. I know a guy who works for Oakly Ag in Kansas that delivers combines to the guy. The combines really aren't even broke in yet with some of them only having around 100hrs. The guy I know says its like the farmer has his own International dealership because there is so much red equipment.
Would that guys name rhyme with cockleburIJ I remember reading in the Denver Post many years ago about a guy who owned 20 some combines. As I remember it they were for his own crops.
I remebeer hearing stories 3years ago while in Burlington, CO about a couple of brothers that owned enough land that they could drive from Denver to the Kansas boarder on ground they owned something like 300,000 acres. I believe they owned all red iron, at least 20 combines, and Pro Harvet pretty much lived out there during harvest. I can't recall their name.