Towards the end of last year, North Yorkshire farmer Adam Stones entered a Red Tractor Assurance on-line competition to win a 200hp Massey Ferguson 7720 tractor for a year.

Imagine his delight, then, on hearing that not only had he won, but could specify the features he wanted on the machine.

Not an existing Massey Ferguson user – operating John Deere and New Holland tractors historically, until the prize MF machine was delivered by the Franks Curtis dealership – Adam was looking forward to the new experience.

He runs an 850-acre arable and livestock holding – Moat Farm, at Bugthorpe, between York and Malton – growing winter wheat, winter barley, winter oilseed rape and spring barley, together with some permanent and temporary grass. The business also has a contracting side – 400 acres, stubble-to-stubble, together with general arable and round bale silage work.

The livestock element comprises a 130-head continental cross suckler herd, where all the progeny are raised on-farm, totalling 350 cattle in all.

So, how has Adam been getting on with the red newcomer? “My early impressions of the tractor are very encouraging,” he reports. “It's a very well-equipped machine!”

“The gearbox is especially smooth in operation and the cab is good to access,” he says. “The spec is similar to that which we would normally purchase – apart from the auto-guidance. We do have it on one other tractor, but we do feel that it is the way forward in terms of improving our efficiency.

“Based on our experience of the MF 7720 so far, we will certainly thinking in terms of buying it at the end end of the year of use that was the prize – provided it turns out to be reliable and that the deal can be right for us.

“Franks Curtis have been extremely helpful and we look forward to making full use of the tractor during the coming months.”

David Franks, at the company's Kirby Misperton depot, welcomes their involvement. “We did already know the Stones, as they had bought equipment from us in the past, but it was a particular pleasure to be asked to help with Adam's spec requirements for the prize tractor.

“These included the Dyna-VT stepless transmission, Exclusive cab, a 190-litre capacity hydraulic pump, air trailer brakes, Auto-Guide GPS steering, Michelin tyres and a 5-year, 4000-hour warranty.”

*Massey Ferguson has a long-standing relationship with Red Tractor Assurance that stretches back to the year 2000.