The increasing popularity of side-by-side vehicles for safety, comfort and convenience is expected to help drive an even higher level of interest in this year's Farm Weekly / WA Angus Breeders WIN 10 Angus Heifers and Boekeman Machinery & Mojo Motorcycles Pty Ltd LANDBOSS 800D side-by-side vehicle competition.
While the Angus heifers component has been a constant in the annual competition since its inception 17 years ago, the accompanying part of the prize package has been a changing feast.
This year it's a shiny orange and black LANDBOSS 800D side-by-side vehicle valued at $18,990 inc GST, that will be providing the perfect accompaniment to the shiny black heifers with generational WA-owned family businesses playing a hand in both prize elements.
The heifers, provided courtesy of Farm Weekly and WA Angus breeders, are being sourced from pioneering fifth-generation farming family, the Edwards, Plain Grazing Company, Beermullah (via Gingin), while the side-by-side vehicle is provided courtesy of Farm Weekly, Mojo Motorcycles Pty Ltd and third generation agricultural dealership Boekeman Machinery, started in Wongan Hills by Bill and Pam Boekeman 55 years ago.
Boekeman Machinery dealer principal Stuart Boekeman, who now runs the company in partnership with his brothers Tim and Andrew Boekeman, said it was a competition they had admired for many years and one which sat well with their family and community-minded values.
"Community involvement has always been very important to us and we commit a lot of energy and financial support throughout the districts in which we and our 110 staff live and work to help keep them strong and relevant," Mr Boekeman said.
This included supporting sporting teams such as football, tennis, bowls and cricket, local Community Resource Centre initiatives, community functions and local church groups, as well as client prize giveaways.
"Our customers are like an extension of our family and in many cases they are people we have grown up with so there is a trust factor built up over many years of ongoing personal and business relationships," Mr Boekeman said.
"And it's the same with our staff, with our longest serving member, Peter Crippen, having been with us for 35 years."
Mr Crippen is manager of the company's Dowerin branch, one of five centres now owned by Boekeman Machinery, since its humble beginnings at Wongan Hills in 1968.
"Our Wongan branch is managed by Dillan Elliott, Dalwallinu managed by Johan Calitz was added in 1970, Dowerin managed by Peter (Crippen) was started in 1983, Northam managed by Darryl Verburg in 1999 and most recently Brookton with the purchase of Coote Motors earlier this year managed by my brother Andrew.
"And it includes the next generation with my son Ben, our group sales manager and Tim's son Josh working part-time while he completes a commerce/law degree."
Boekeman Machinery has a diverse and enviable range of products from suppliers Case IH, New Holland (Brookton), Ausplow, Grain King, JCB, MacDon, Simplicity, Seed Terminator, K-Line, Horwood Bagshaw, Flexicoil, Toyota and of course LANDBOSS through Mojo Motorcycles Pty Ltd, with LANDBOSS 800D and 1100D side-by-side vehicle models available at its Wongan Hills and Northam branches.
Mr Boekeman said it was exciting along with the other sponsors to be able to join with Farm Weekly, a company his family had had a long association with, to offer the LANDBOSS 800D model vehicle as part of this year's prize.
"This competition provides a great opportunity to give something back to the industry, to Farm Weekly subscribers, many of whom are also our clients and many of whom run both cropping and livestock enterprises," he said.
"I want to thank everyone for their involvement and I know the lucky winner will love their LANDBOSS side-by-side.
"It is such a great vehicle for so many farm uses from checking livestock to towing.
"It is safe yet inexpensive, you can drive it up onto the back of a ute to transport it, it can carry more than one person plus gear in the back, you have a roof over your head, a tip tray and all the safety features such as seatbelts and ROP certified roll frame.
"The 800D is right hand drive with a Kubota diesel engine and CTV transmission electric power steering, selectable 4WD and 450kg capacity.
"It is truly the perfect all-in-one UTV for the farm."
Mr Boekeman said across their full suite of products they had supplies of stock available and there were some good purchasing incentives starting to be offered again by suppliers.
"Give us a call or drop in and see us and we wish everyone the best of luck in the competition," Mr Boekeman said.
