No Fools Today

Normally on this day in the year, we produce what we hope is a witty and fun filled April Fool’s Day post, but this year, with all the terrible events that are happening in Ukraine due to Russia’s uninvited invasion and resulting barbarism, I just don’t feel its right to post anything remotely humorous.

As it happens, today I am on my first overseas work trip in over two years, with a flying visit to Italy, and while I am not at liberty to share what I am up to today due to an embargo, I thought take a look back at a previous visit to the country.

My last time in Italy was probably back as far as November 2012, when I attended that year’s edition of the New Holland Grand Prix Competition in Turin. At the time I was very much still a full-time self-employed excavator operator, doing the blogging as a side line with the Construction Index website.

We arrived the day before the operator competition was due to start, to be greeted by blue skies and lovely warm temperatures. This allowed myself and "real" members of the assembled press pack, to take a look around at some of the latest products available in the New Holland construction equipment line up, and for the competing operators to get in some practice time before the next day's event.

I personally was delighted to get my hands on some of these machines including the then new 14-tonne class short radius E140C SR hydraulic excavator. A great day was had by all and we retired to the hotel for the evening activities.

However, when we arose the next morning, we were no longer greeted by wall-to-wall sunshine, and in its place, we had almost torrential rain for the day of the competition.

A total of seven teams took part in four separate competitions, using a range of New Holland machines. There were teams representing Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, together with a team from Turin’s Firefighters, who had previously qualified during the Fiat Industrial Village heat.

The field that was dusty the day before, quickly became a quagmire as the competitors tackled the various challenges put before them!

Not to be deterred by a bit of the wet stuff, the teams got on with the competition and they all completed the trials.

Great skills, team spirit and competitiveness were the order of the day for all involved, but the best operator turned out to be, for the second year running, Marc Abresch from Germany, who for his efforts, won a fantastic trip to Munich to visit Bauma the following year.

The runner up in the competition was James Leeming from the UK, who I don’t think I have seen or heard of since, I would assume he is still in the industry operating a machine for somebody, if anyone knows I would be delighted to have an update.

This event was something of a turnaround for me personally too, as it was where I was approached by Earthmovers Magazine editor Mr Graham Black, who asked me if I would be interested in becoming a contributor to the publication, of which I have been an avid subscriber and reader of since it was first launched back in 2004, a real game changer in my life and career, for which I will be eternally grateful.

You will read more on what I’m doing here in Italy with another manufacturer in due course in the magazine, so one to look out for!