Finalists named for BKT-sponsored TotY

For the second year, off-highway tyre specialist BKT is supporting the Tractor of the Year (TotY) event as sponsor. TotY named its finalists for the 2022 edition today during an online event at totydigital.com.

Explaining why it sponsors the event, BKT says the future of the farming is something it looks to with a focus on “the concrete responses” that all agricultural businesses need in order to meet “the challenges of an increasingly competitive sector.” The tyre maker adds that it and TotY share a focus upon innovation in agricultural mechanisation and cutting-edge technology.

“It is very important to be here because this is where the major agricultural issues are discussed: from sustainability to autonomous transport, from data management to analysis to optimise and increase the efficiency of operations” states Lucia Salmaso, chief executive officer at BKT Europe. “They are all topics on which BKT too is focusing resources and research. Furthermore, tractors mean everything in agriculture and tyres mean everything for tractors. They are the only contact point with the land, the object which transforms tractor power into traction. TotY is the right place for us.”

26 jurors, 4 product categories

TotY is an international award that first took place in 1998. Every year it brings together the leading publications in the world of agricultural mechanisation to create a jury of 26 experts from 25 different countries who, through analysis, discussion and field tests, present awards to the best European tractor in four categories.

Tractor of the Year: This category is open to all tractors, and this years’ candidates are: Case IH, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, New Holland and Valtra.

Best Utility: For multifunction tractors; this year’s shortlist includes Claas, John Deere, Landini, Massey Ferguson and Valtra.

Best of Specialized: For tractors which work vineyards, orchards, hillsides and mountains. The nominees are: Antonio Carraro, Carraro Tractors, Ferrari and Reform.

Sustainable TotY: This category rewards the tractor from the first three categories that is tops for sustainability. The nominees are: Antonio Carraro, Carraro Tractors, Case IH, Claas, John Deere, Ferrari, Landini, Massey Ferguson, New Holland, Reform and Valtra.

“This year too TotY will be fascinating and full of surprises,” says Fabio Zammaretti, president of TotY. “There are fully 14 tractors in competition divided into the three categories and all the finalists also take part in the special award, Sustainable TotY. As always, the evaluation of the tractors in competition will be based on precise technical parameters, with a particular focus on innovation and sustainability. And this is all alongside BKT which I thank. We are sharing together the experience of the new digital editions.”

Winners awarded at EIMA

Among the participants in the running for TotY 2022 are some new names, and BKT believes this makes the competition “even livelier and more stimulating.” Another innovation this year is the digital episodes that will be broadcast via TotY social media, complete with analyses of agricultural trends, technology and much more. But for BKT the real highlight for 2022 will be the live awards event and product display during the EIMA exhibition in Bologna, Italy this coming October.

“I would like to wish all best luck to all the participants” Lucia Salmaso goes on. “The possibility of meeting all together again in a single place certainly adds further impetus to the challenge. We are hi-tech, that is true, but we are also human and it is this human passion for the agriculture of today and tomorrow which unites us. See you in Bologna!”