2023 harvester race: New Holland sweeps clean for sweet victory

With meticulous care, the farmer cultivates his fields, fertilises, plants, fights pests, irrigates or prays for rain … but all this is of no use if he cannot harvest his crop efficiently, quickly and within the limited time that the weather permits. For that, he needs a reliable, affordable, efficient combine harvester that can do the work.

The grain farmer must therefore choose very carefully to make sure he buys the right combine that will do the best job in his particular circumstances. To make this choice easier, Grootpan study group and Du Preez Landgoed offer a harvester race every year.

At this year’s competition, New Holland’s blue-and-yellow machinery proved once again to farmers that they will continue to harvest the fields of South African farmers for a long time to come.

Jaco du Preez, New Holland’s Marketing Manager for Southern Africa, tells more about their entries for the harvester races: “In the class 6 division we entered the CR 6.80 harvester. In 2019 we won the class 6 speed division, but we were not the overall winners. Our aim was to change that this year. In the class 8 section we have entered the CR 7.90, which is actually a class 7 harvester.”

Jaco du Preez, New Holland’s Marketing Manager, tells more about New Holland’s pioneering harvesters at the 2023 harvester race.

New Holland’s Twin Rotor technology

Both harvesters, the CR 6.80 and the CR 7.90, are equipped with 43 cm (17 inch) Twin Rotor technology, a unique feature of New Holland’s harvesters.

“New Holland’s Twin Rotor technology is known for gentle grain handling. We want to show farmers how our Twin Rotor technology handles the material, and also how New Holland competes with the others in the market,” says Jaco.

He adds: “Our Twin Rotor concept has been known in the industry for 48 years, and we have also added the Twin Pitch technology in recent years. This new addition enables farmers to harvest more moist material, a little earlier in the morning or late in the evening, making the window period for harvesting just that little bit longer.”

The top-of-the-class New Holland CR 6.80.

The intelligent combine

The CR 7.90 combine has a powerful FPT Industrial Cursor 9 engine that delivers 300 kW.

The combine is equipped with many technological additions, including the IntelliSense control system which continuously makes adjustments to the harvester’s operation during the harvesting process to deliver the best possible grain quality.

It also almost completely automates the combine. The operator simply selects from four different options, which include the combine’s ground speed, grain quality, and machine speed, and the combine does the rest.

The CR 6.80 in action at the 2023 harvester race.

Jaco explains: “Of course, these systems do not work independently of each other. They are integrated, so you can choose your options. When your first option has reached its peak, the harvester looks at the other options. This way you get the best results continuously throughout your harvesting time. So, you are not at all dependent on the operator to make the adjustments, this smart technology does it all for the operator.”

New Holland CR 6.80 combine kicks dust in competitors’ eyes

New Holland’s CR 6.80 combine was announced as the overall winner of the class 6 harvesters. The CR 6.80’s results were as follows:

“Although racing is not what you would do on the farm, it shows farmers what the capacity is and what type of grain sample you can get at this speed,” concludes Jaco.

The combines impressed again with their ability to produce a very clean sample. The ease with which the harvesters work, was also impressive.

With the developments that have been made in New Holland’s tractors and combines, farmers can know they are at the forefront of technology.

New Holland’s CR 7.90 harvester.

For more information on New Holland’s wide range of equipment, contact Jaco du Preez at jacobus.du-preez@cnhind.com.