“We’re hoping for a top five finish this year,” said Engineering student Zach Martin before heading out on the road with his teammates last week. After finishing sixth in last year’s competition, the team wanted to improve in a tough field of 27 agriculture schools including Purdue, Oklahoma, Illinois, and 2008 winner Kansas State. The University of Laval finished second overall.

Martin said their tractor was better than last years model because of a refined mechanical system that utilizes three - 16 HP motors that use only one belt succinctly. Their shortcomings last year, he said, were overcome with the new design.

“We’ve had companies looking at our model,” he said. “They’re looking for ideas. Most of them have never seen three motors working with only one belt.”

Teams are judged in the competition for their performance in the tractor pull as well as ergonomics, manufacturability, design and presentation. The U of S team was voted the best-looking tractor overall and finished first in ergonomic design and maneuverability. For the students and their faculty advisor though, the big victory came in how top industry engineers and recruiters responded to the U of S.

“This isn’t your typical student competition,” said advisor Terry Fonstad. “The tractor pulling is fun but this competition is designed to teach students certain skills and to prepare them to work in industry. To have top people from companies like Deere and Caterpillar so impressed with the student’s prototype machine was a real bonus for the team.”

Fonstad added that Deere and Agco approached the U of S team following the competition to talk about future careers in the manufacturing industry.

“This was a breakthrough that can be attributed to the hard work and quality of our students."

Although the Sled Dog team is comprised of 20 members, only eight made the trip to the competition May 29 – 31. The team returned home June 3.

- Mark Ferguson, On Campus News