A tractor belonging to Kevin McGrath has been announced as the first of six short-listed ‘Working Wonders‘ to feature at February’s Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) Farm Machinery Show – as part of a country-wide competition.

Also Read: National tractor competition is open: It’s time for your ‘Working Wonder’ to shine!

This week’s short-listed winner – Kevin’s entry – is a crisp, clean (2007) New Holland TM120. It works the land surrounding Clashmore, Co. Waterford; it has 10,700 hours on the clock (odometer) and is currently hooked up to a hedge-cutter.

Kevin, who works full-time with a local agricultural contractor, explained that during busy times of the year such as spring work and the hectic silage season, the contractor “gets caught for tractors”.

That’s when he hires in Kevin’s trusty steed.

The tractor typically spends its summers raking silage or, elsewhere, loading and drawing bales. “This machine very rarely pulls a silage trailer; I try to keep it away from that if I can,” he stressed.

My ideal plan is to go back home farming in five or six years; then I’ll have a decent tractor there and it will be paid for.

He added: “I was brought up on a farm and I always loved machinery so, as they say, if you’re happy at what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.”

He bought the tractor from M&S Machinery in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, in 2017. He said: “I was just passing through one day and I saw it; I had to buy it.”

The tractor goes into a shed every night; Kevin said he just doesn’t like leaving it outside at night. He added: “When I bought it I did the head on the engine, as they can drop a valve when they cross 10,000 hours. I said it’s better to be safe than sorry!”

What happens now?

Kevin’s tractor was short-listed from this week’s entries, because it attracted the most online votes (on the competition page on the FTMTA’s website). Anyone and everyone can vote.

Kevin, along with the owners of the next five short-listed tractors, gets FTMTA merchandise and, additionally, three pairs of tickets for the show. All six tractors will then be transported to and from the FTMTA Farm Machinery Show – free of charge – where they will be shown for the duration of the three-day event.

Also Read: FTMTA Farm Machinery Show is fast approaching

And, if that’s not enough, a full (free) valet service will be provided for each of the short-listed tractors – to ensure that they’re looking their best for the event.

Visitors attending February’s show will be asked to vote – by simply dropping tokens or wrist-bands into the relevant collection point (placed beside each of the six short-listed tractors) at the event.

Voting will close on the third day (Saturday, February 8) of the show – at noon. The overall winner will be announced before the event draws to a close – later that day.

The grand (€3,000) prize…

The lucky (overall) winner will then get his or her hands on €3,000 worth of tyres – kindly sponsored by FTMTA member firm AgriGear (based in Bailieborough, Co. Cavan).

It should be noted that all entries (tractors) must be taxed and insured.

If you would like to enter your treasured tractor, click here.