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Allan Paterson from Rosetown Isuzu (left) with Daniel Neil.
Out of more than 80,000 entries, Daniel Neil from Piopio has been announced as the lucky winner of the Isuzu D-MAX LX Double Cab 4WD Ute in this year’s Fieldays Ute giveaway.
The prize package, valued at over $63,990, includes on-road costs, 12 months of registration, a full tank of fuel, and a comprehensive 3-year/100,000km warranty.
Daniel’s initial reaction to winning the ute was one of disbelief, thinking it was a joke when he received the call from New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive, Peter Nation.
“When I told my wife Gina, she thought I was having her on! The kids were excited but not sure whether to believe it or not,” Daniel shared.
Daniel and Gina milk 430 Friesian cross cows on a leased 240ha dairy farm, with an additional 120ha leased for dairy support and beef.
“The Isuzu will definitely be put through its paces with farm life. There’s always something to tow or pick up and plenty of hills on the farm to climb. Whether it’s kids or animals, there’s always something to run around after. I’m also looking forward to trying out its towing capabilities with the caravan.”
Daniel, who was raised on a farm in Taranaki, has been a regular at Fieldays for over a decade. He came to the 2024 event for the day with his brother and two local farming mates.
“I go to Fieldays for a day off the farm,” Daniel said. “It’s interesting to see what innovation, technology, and equipment is out there and what could work for us in our farming operation. It’s also a chance to catch up with our rural providers, like the bank.”
Ross Sommerville, general manager of Isuzu Utes New Zealand, expressed his support for Daniel’s win. “The D-MAX is built tough and has the specs to handle farm life with ease. Whether taking care of day-today tasks or the gruntier jobs, it’s up to the challenge.”
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The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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