For the first time in Fendt history, a tractor series was launched on the North American market first and only thereafter on the German market. That is why there are already customers in North America and even a medal for the tractor with Tier 4 final emissions. At the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky, the Fendt 500 Vario received the AE 50 Award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

“He has wanted a Fendt pedal tractor for a long time already and saved his allowance, hoping that he could buy one soon,” explains Jason Jantzi, who owns 120 hectares of land and a farm with 40 cows in Milverton, Canada. “He came with me each time I visited my dealer, just to see if he had already saved up enough money for it. That is why I ordered a small tractor for Lavon when I bought the Fendt 513 Vario,” reports the farmer.

The 822 Vario works in front of a large Hesston 7433 baler, while the 817 Vario pulls a threeunit mower combination. A neighbour, who Jantzi frequently helps in his contracting business, pulls his Hesston 2150 baler with his own Fendt 824 Vario. The 714 Vario, on the other hand, is used for transport and loading bales or driving a bale wrapper, which can wrap individual bales or a complete row of bales. The 513 Vario is primarily used for the hay rake and can also do loader work, if necessary. In the spring, says Jantzi, he will sow alfalfa with an AGCO seed drill.

“The 513 has enough hydraulic power to load large square bales weighing up to 450 kg. I only have to mount a weight at the rear to balance the tractor. What I like the best, however, is its manoeuvrability,” he says, highlighting the advantages of the tractor. He owned a Fendt 411 Vario before buying the Fendt 513 Vario. He was very excited to find out that the new one has the same manoeuvrability that he is already used to and offers higher performance to boot. Over 200 work hours in only three months speak for themselves.

“The ease of operation is a great benefit for all of us. My 14-year-old son, Jarrell, often helps during forage harvesting and the Fendt tractors are ideal for drivers with little experience, since the operating interface in all the models works nearly the same way and changing between the machines therefore poses no problems,” he explains. Little Lavon likes to drive with his father in the big Fendt tractors, but not in every one of them “The 822 does not have a comfortable, cushioned passenger seat like the other tractors, only a hard plastic seat,” explains Jantzi. “That is why he always asks which tractor I will be driving, before he decides. Otherwise his usual answer is: I think I will just stay here and play.” Playing means that Lavon pushes forage to the dairy cattle with his front loader. Naturally, that also means more work hours for his Fendt 939 pedal tractor.