When most people think of Italian tractors, Fiat and Same spring immediately to mind.

But has anyone heard of Carraro?

The only working Carraro 1020 in Ireland is still regularly used on a farm near Fintona.

Stewart Cobane, from Fintona, says his model must now be a collector’s item as it was the only new model sold in Northern Ireland in 1987, the first year of the production line at the company’s plant near Venice. Around 3,000 units were made and production of the model ceased after three years because of a competitive marketplace with Fiat and John Deere, according to Stewart.

“I bought it in a scrapyard in Donegal about five years ago, “ explained Stewart giving some background to the machine.

“They started making 100hp tractors around that time but it was the same time as the Fiat 110-90 and the John Deere 3020 and the market was very competitive. This one was bought in Draperstown and moved on before it ended in a scrapyard.

The square type body work and long wheelbase was a popular concept at the time.

“The tractor was stuck in gear when I bought it but I only worked at it mechanically as the bodywork is as new. It has a creeper gearbox and a great demountable cab which suited the Italian climate.” Another interesting feature about his Carraro is an electric lift which he finds useful at silage time.

“We use it for buckraking silage and we can lift up the buckrake and push off the grass at the same time,” he said. It also has a Perkins engine, similar to the one in the MF298.

At the time it was photographed above, the Carraro was being driven by Gerry McCausland, rolling the surface of the Eccleville showjumping arena. Gerry brings the tractor to various shows where it grabs plenty of attention.

Stewart learned a lot about the tractor and the company when he visited their factory near Venice on a long distance lorry trip which he regularly makes.

He says the factory now specialises in small, specialist tractors for orchards and vineyards and also makes axles for a range of handling equipment.

Stewart’s Carraro joins other classical working tractors in his yard including a Ford 5000, an MF2640 and a David Briown 995.

Stewart says that with around 5,400 hours on the clock for a tractor around 27 years old, it has plenty of life yet.

Nowadays, Carraro, founded in the 1930s is an international group leading in highly efficient, eco-compatible power transmission systems, with production plants in Italy, India, Argentina, China, Germany and the United States.