ON Thursday, July 18, Tracmach, the Vintage Tractor & Machinery Association of WA, which aims to preserve WA's agriculture heritage, will be hosting its National Ploughing Contest at Gary Bendotti's property at Eastbrook, between Manjimup and Pemberton.
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"It's going to be a three-day event," said Tracmach member Russell Mehrtens.
"We're going to hold the State match, the West Australian Tracmach Ploughing Group State competition, on Thursday, July 18, and we've offered the national contestants coming over to plough in the national event, which will be on the Friday and Saturday(July 19 and 20)."
Mr Mehrtens has some experience under his belt when it comes to national ploughing contests, having won the National Vintage Class in the Victoria State Ploughing competition back in 2019.
"I won with a FIAT 450, and that was my first time competing on a national level," he said.
"The Vintage Class was traditionally gear pre-1959.
"But because there's none of that now - and the old fellas to go with it - the Vintage Class had to up the ante a bit to mostly hydraulic ploughs, so it was pushed up to gear from around 1970 to 1972."
Hailing from New Zealand, Mr Mehrtens said he first came to Western Australia when was 19 years old, planting crops at Latham.
"I was there for about seven years, went back to New Zealand, farmed for seven years there, and then I did a stint farming in Queensland," he said.
"I ended up coming back to WA and I've been in the transport and crane game ever since."
However, in terms of what his role will be in the National Ploughing Contest, Mr Mehrtrens said he would be something of a SAM - a self-appointed manager.
"There's going to be three others heading the event too - Don Tomlinson from Albany, Gerald Richings from Bridgetown and Clem Riley from Collie," he said.
More information: Go to tracmach.com/events
