A farmer from Oak Lake is one of just a few Canadian producers to win a prize through a North American farm contest, the Great New Holland Hay tools Giveaway.  Mark Johnston picked up a NH Rolabar 230 hay rake and kit, valued at over $58,000 CDN. 

His was one of about a dozen prizes to be won through the New Holland contest. Prizes awarded through the Giveaway totaled over $500,000 CDN (over $400,000 US).

The contest ran from August of 2019 to March 1, 2020 to highlight New Holland’s 125-year anniversary taking place now in 2020.  Prizes included 5 cutting-edge haytools, as well as farm toys, parts gifts and other merchandise.  Commercial farmers over the age of 21 living in Canada or the U.S could enter, and participants must own at least 50 head of dairy or beef cattle or had harvested at least 100 acres of hay during the 2019 calendar year.

Candace Bowles is the Marketing Manager with Mazergroup in Brandon, a dealer of New Holland machinery and equipment.

Bowles says they were thrilled that one of their own customers won one of the 5 major prizes.   “It was really a good prize to win and I’m glad it went to someone in Manitoba,” says Bowles.  “So what they had to do is they had to go online and they could enter their name through there or they could text their information in as well,” she explains, “so there were two different ways they could do it online or texting.”

“It was very exciting,” she adds. “He was one of 5 North Americans to win one of the Grand Prizes.”