Reg Pearce with Marley Lawrence (T H WHITE) and Farm Manager Andy Goodenough.
Reg Pearce’s team at his 480-acre family run Mill Farm in Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, are a very happy team indeed. Not only do they get to work with a range of New Holland machines, they’re also able to experience ‘the jewel in the crown’ – the all-new T8.435 GenesisTM Blue Power, the first of its kind sold in the UK by T H WHITE.
As a third-generation farmer, Reg has been part of the family run set-up for over four decades. These days, he focuses on pure arable, producing a mix of wheat, oilseed rape, barley, peas, and beans. Over the years, he’s bought a variety of tractor brands and started a relationship with nearby T H WHITE in the 1970’s. He settled on the New Holland brand around 30 years ago and has never looked back since.
Reg took delivery of the T8.435 Genesis in February 2022, having traded in its predecessor, a 2010 model T8050. He felt the time had come to take advantage of the huge benefits in overall efficiency, power distribution and reduced soil compaction offered by the new T8 Genesis range. The SmartTraxTM model was chosen for the simple reason that with a move away from the plough towards minimal cultivation techniques, it became important to reduce soil compaction by taking cleaner turns, to incur less overall damage to topsoil structures throughout his site. “The half-track SmartTrax is highly versatile and ideally designed to help us keep soil damage to a minimum – the weight and power distribution are so even, there’s no smearing when performing many tight turns out in the headland,” he says.
Farm Manager Andy Goodenough was also hugely impressed with the latest addition to the fleet. “It is a highly stable, powerful, manoeuvrable machine with great traction – it doesn’t allow you to over-run or create mechanical stress in any way. The ground conditions we experienced this year have not been seen since 1976, so we’ve not yet been able to run the T8 in the typically boggy conditions we can get here in the foot of the Cotswolds – although we’re confident that the way it floats over topsoil, it will perform successfully in any conditions we’re likely to face.”
Reg adds: “When the conditions are right, we go. The highly advanced T8 model will be integral to us being able to respond in whatever window we need to – giving us the power we need without fear of damaging soil structures or reducing our productivity levels.”
The hugely versatile T8.435 Genesis with SmartTrax half-track design:
• lighter, longer footprint and even weight/power distribution means less soil compaction
• highly stable operation in tight turns, increased safety
• adapted suspension for a comfortable ride
• pivoting undercarriage for contour following
• TerralockTM traction ensures no snaking in grassy patches unlike twin-track machines.
Outstanding cab comfort and attention to detail is also a big feature of the T8 Genesis. “New Holland have been thinking about the driver’s requirements as well as machine performance for many years now, and the T8 is the benchmark when it comes to a comfortable, quiet, efficient working environment with intuitive, customisable controls and the latest technology at your fingertips – making you as productive as can be” says Reg. The new cab matches the automotive industy for quality of fit, and the layout includes improved climate control and storage, better visibility, improved ergonomics, enhanced clarity of InfoviewTM instrument cluster and IntelliviewTM displays, as well as a tilting and telescopic steering column, which all help to reduce operator fatigue and increase productivity.
Although the impressive Precision Land Management (PLM) system was not fully utilised this year, Reg plans to bring more of this online next year, allied to young farmer training programmes overseen by T H WHITE Agriculture sales rep Marley Lawrence and the technical team. Once fully up-and-running, PLM integration will provide real-time insights, information, and intuitive support, including:
- Customer-to-Vehicle Connectivity – this will allow Reg to run his farm business from the cab, the farm office or even the other side of the world.
- Dealer-to-Vehicle Connectivity – helping to minimise downtime with proactive support, remote monitoring, diagnostic, and in-field software updates.
- Advisor-to-Vehicle Connectivity – to keep Reg in touch with agronomists and other experts, improving decision-making on the move.
Reg Pearce and Andy Goodenough alongside their newest fleet additions.
Enhanced operator comfort, a quiet ride and improved visibility from the cab are hallmarks of the T8 Genesis.
The T8 Genesis range can be an asset to any farm large or small. Built to suit heavy tillage applications, it’s also ideal for planting, spreading and transport. Reg also owns a T7.315 HD New Generation Blue Power and a T7.210, alongside several other New Holland models, as well as a Väderstad TopDown cultivator.
Contact the T H WHITE Agriculture team for more info on New Holland’s outstanding range of tractors and dedicated cultivators
