Henty MOTY Award recognises innovative farm technology

Machines at the cutting edge of agricultural technology will be showcased to the industry in the prestigious Henty Machine of the Year Award.

Announced on the opening day, this “farmers’ choice’’ award is presented to the most outstanding new piece of agricultural machinery exhibited at the Henty Machinery Field Days on September 19-21, 2023.

The award is judged by an independent panel of regional primary producers.

In many cases the machine has gone on to become a standard piece of equipment on farms.

Judging criteria includes the machine’s purpose and suitability, scope of application, construction, ease of maintenance and service, ease of operation and adjustment, availability of parts and overall value for money.

In 2022, entries ranged from a simple but handy Sheep Rest through to an agricultural chemical batching and handling system, trailing sprayer, a new Flex Draper, a self-propelled sprayer and Australian made precision sowing air drill. 

The award drew 22 entries with the MacDon FD2 FlexDaper, entered by MacDon Australia Pty Ltd, impressing judges with its innovation, engineering and design.

Highly commended was the John Deere See & Spray™ Select entered by Hutcheon and Pearce.

This year’s line-up also includes a manure spreader, heavy-duty double row aerator, an automatic horse feeder, self-propelled sprayer, trailed mower conditioner, pump, wheeled loader, chaser bin, mechanical interrow weeder, draper platform, a passive, automatic sheep drafter and an autonomous orchard sprayer.  

HMFD chairman Nigel Scheetz said a win at Henty gives the entrant valuable exposure for their product.

“Henty continues to showcase the latest in agricultural technology - the entrants certainly excelled last year and we are expecting the innovation will be repeated this year.”

MacDon national sales manager Kari Sattler accepted the 2022 award, saying harvesters represented a large investment and needed to keep working.

As a regional resident, Mr Sattler is a long-term fan of the Henty Machine of the Year Award.

“You see some upcoming brands really having a go and I’ve always thought one day we will get on that list, and here we are,” he said.

Hutcheon and Pearce sales operations manager Andrew Watt said what set the John Deere See & Spray™ Select apart was its ability to both broadcast and selectively spray at the same time at high speeds and in low light conditions.

“Coupled with that is the ability to not just look at the different colours but also detecting the images as they come towards it – it sets the foundation to add in green on green, weed detection and stand counts,” Mr Watt said.

An additional accolade at Henty is the Greater Hume Council Award for the best new Australian designed and manufactured machine.

It is judged on the Monday and presented on the Wednesday of the field days. 

2023 Machine of the Year entries include:

Prairie Special Series 2 – Goldacres 

JBS E Series 2648 – AEH Distribution 

DynaBusta – AusCut

KY Pump 20” – Ky General Engineering

Bute Discs harrow bar – Bute Engineers

CF Moto UForce 600 EPS Trek – CF Moto Australia 

FC13460RA Trailed Mower Conditioner – Kuhn Farm Machinery 

Steketee EC Weeder – Lemken Australia and New Zealand

Midwest Draper Platform HDL60 – Midwest Fabrication 

Small Ruminant Bulk Handler – Offsider Ag Equipment

Shepherd Passive Auto Drafter - The Shepherd Ag Pty Ltd 

Clipex PGX Sheep Ramp – Clipex

JTA Spraying Vector Series – JTA Spraying Equipment 

Flexi-Coil 7200 and Flexi-Coil Air Cart 60 Series – K-Line Ag & Flexi-Coil

SUPA Bin 44000 ST – Ultimate Control – Clear Ridge Fabrication

Ausmix XL26 Fibrex feed mixer – FarmTech Machinery

Agribin Semi Bin and Brookfield Enclosed Conveyor – Brookfield

Haymate SR5400 – Haymate Australia 

Hercules HD656D Wheeled Loader – Hercules Loaders

Kress Battery Cybersystem – Kress Commercial 

Rocca SupaTill ST-1200T – Rocca Industries 

Rainstar T42 – 90x300 + T32 – 75x250 – Bauer GmbH Australia Pty Ltd

GUSS Automated sprayer – Hutcheon & Pearce