The Tractor of the Year competition is once again underway. Twenty-six jury members (including Farm Contractor’s own Matthew Tilt) from 25 countries across Europe come together to narrow a shortlist of machines down to just four winners: Tractor of the Year, Best of Utility, Best of Specialized and Sustainable TotY.
In a special event hosted by Pietro Polidori, who was joined by Fabio Zammaretti, chairman of Tractor of the Year, viewers were given a rundown of the competition which has been an annual tradition since 1998. Mr Zammaretti said: “The mission is complex and Tractor of the Year is a long process which lasts nearly all year. It comprises the competition, as well as the network of journalists who promote innovation in the industry and the manufacturers who help make this happen.”
Asked if there was anything special about this year’s competition, he added: “Last year, we turned the competition into a digital project, and this year we will see a mix of physical and digital events.”
Also joining the event was Lucia Salmaso, managing director of BKT Europe, the sponsor of the competition. She said: “Tractor of the Year is much more than an award, it is a showcase of the trends in the industry. It was challenging last year because of the pandemic but everyone has been committed to building engagement and BKT’s sponsorship is a logical step for the company. Tractors are our biggest market and we cannot ignore trends in the industry.”
Let the Challenge Begin…
As in previous years, the competition is split into four categories:
- Tractor of the Year – for open field tractors with no limits, with voting parameters based on the engine, tranmission, electronics, hydraulics, comfort, innovative technical features, options, design and connectivity and precision agriculture.
- Best of Utility – for multi-purpose tractors with at least 70hp, maximum four-cylinder engine, a max operating weight of 10,500kg and a max wheelbase of 2,550mm. Voting parameters are engine, tranmission, hydraulics, comfort, innovative technical features, options, design and versatility.
- Best of Specialized – for orchard, vineyard, hill and mountain tractors, with voting based on engine, transmission, comfort, agility and design.
- Sustainable TotY – all shortlisted tractors are eligable for this award, which is based on technology and innovative solutions in line with current trends such as digitalisation, automation, servitisation, electrification and alternative fuels.
Eleven brands are taking part in Tractor of the Year 2022, with fourteen tractors spread out across the four categories.
In the Tractor of the Year category, Case IH, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, New Holland and Valtra have all entered a machine.
For Best of Utility, there is Claas, John Deere, Landini, Massey Ferguson and Valtra. And in Best of Specialized, the finalists are Antonio Carraro, Carraro, Ferrari and Reform.
Over the coming weeks, Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer will cover each of the finalists online, with a run down in the October issue of the magazine. The finalist tractors will also be exhibited at Eima, in Bologna, where the winners of each category will be announced.