This year’s Farm Handling Experience took place at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire today (Thursday 21 April).

The event gave a great chance for farmers and contractors to drive some tractors and handlers they may not have encountered before – all helped by some welcome sunshine.

See also: Farm Handling Experience

Equipment on show included handlers and tractors from Deere, New Holland, Case- IH and JCB, provided by Shropshire-based company Hawk group, and handlers from Merlo, Multione and Norcar.

The latest Yamaha farm buggies and Isuzu pickups on the off-road course. There was also a JCB TM310S with effective-looking tracks from Moorend.

Here are some of the best photos from the event to give you a flavour of the day.

1.Farmers register for their farm handling test drives.

©Jonathan Page

2. Merlo had four of its latest models to try, including the massive T45.11T-CS-156 with 11m reach and a CVTronic transmission. 

©Jonathan Page

3. Multione makes a range of multifunctional compact mini-loaders. At the show were the 7.3 with 1.6t lift and 35hp engine up to the 10.8 with 2.7t lift, 72hp engine and 40kph top speed.

©Jonathan Page

4. Gloucester-based Moorend 4T has been developing  its own retro-fit track units for two years to target machines used in tricky conditions such as wetland projects and solar farms through the winter. 

©Jonathan Page

5. Norcar’s ultra-compact A62 and A75 pivot-steer loaders include the A62 with 1.3t lift and the A75 with 2.1 tlift.

©Jonathan Page

6. Caterpillar’s 926M was the biggest machine at the event. It’s been tuned to suit the particular demands of silage and muck work and has 164hp under the bonnet.

©Jonathan Page

7. Norcar and Moorend took the opportunity to show off their climbing abilities at the event.

©Jonathan Page

8. This substantial-looking piece of equipment  is the TMK tree shear, brought in by NCD Equipment. It creates a clean cut by grabbing the tree and pulling it across the fixed blade. It then secures the tree against a V-clamp so it can be lifted and placed safely.

©Jonathan Page

9. Yamaha’s Viking has three seats and can carry loads up to 272kg. Drive system gives 2wd, 4wd and 4wd with diff lock, plus selectable hi or lo ratios via the high-torque 686cc engine.

©Jonathan Page