Valtra 171 wins competition winner’s praise
14.11.2007With a little time to spare before his Sunday Matt Solley, manager of Gilston Crop Management Ltd, was watching Farm Sunday on Sky TV when the week’s competition question came up:
How many tractor brands does AGCO sell?
For a bit of fun Matt texted in the answer - four. Correct as it happens.
And that, he thought, would be that.
Gilston Crop Management Ltd, a company set up by a group of farmers who have pooled their land lies between the M11 and A10 on the Essex and Hertfordshire borders and Matt, from a farming family runs the 5500 acres as an integrated enterprise. Crops, all combinable, include wheat, rape, beans and now borage. The machinery fleet is the minimum necessary; a 500hp Challenger MT865 and a couple of wheeled tractors at 275 and 175hp which are kept for around 3 seasons; roughly 4500 hours. Other equipment includes a Berthoud 32m sprayer, 8m Vaderstad drill, 9 furrow plough and a minimal tillage train plus a few other bits and pieces. To ease the pressure during the summer a couple of tractors in the 160hp bracket are hired in, mostly for corn cart with 18 tonne trailers. Alongside Matt there is one other permanent member of staff but other drivers are regularly employed during the busy periods.
As Matt says, “the aim is simple; minimum inputs, maximum returns.”
It came as something of a surprise when Matt learned he had won the sky competition and had the use of a 180hp Valtra T171 for 250 hours during the farm’s busiest period. “It certainly relieved the pressure.”
Matt admits he had never considered a Valtra as part of the fleet. “Running such a tight operation we’ve stuck with brands we know from dealers that provide a good service – having a well equipped local dealer is important just in case anything does go wrong.”
So, what did Matt think of the Valtra T171?
“Marvellous about describes it,” is the reply. “The Valtra has been in almost constant use on a variety of operations; grain cart with an 18tonne trailer, pulling a 12m set of rolls, fertilizing with an Amazone spreader. It hasn’t missed a beat which is unusual for a brand new machine. Most of the tractors we’ve purchased in the past have had running-in problems. Nothing too serious, but a nuisance just the same.” As a result of this experience Matt readily admits that he probably made a mistake by not considering a Valtra as a candidate for a recent change.
And the drivers?
Neville Kett, head driver, normally ensconced in the Challenger was equally full of praise, “It did everything asked of it.” A sentiment echoed by regular summer driver Garry Chambers who has been in the saddle for most of the time. “I was driving one of the other tractors, drove this once and stayed with it. I’ll be sorry to see it go – Comfortable, excellent controls and features - Love it.”
So what now? Well as Matt has said, “there won’t be a vacancy in the farm fleet for a couple of years at least but Valtra will be at the top of the list when the time comes. As for next season we will seriously consider Valtra as potential hire tractors”.
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