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Woman Finds Success As Champion Tractor Puller
European men competing in pro stock tractor pulling know they're pulling against the best when Johanna Herlevi shows up. She's a customer service rep for Finnish tractor maker Valtra and a champion tractor puller. Her tractor is named Doris.
"My dad named her," explains Herlevi. "In Finnish, it is comparable to
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Woman Finds Success As Champion Tractor Puller AG WORLD 27-3-22 European men competing in pro stock tractor pulling know they're pulling against the best when Johanna Herlevi shows up. She's a customer service rep for Finnish tractor maker Valtra and a champion tractor puller. Her tractor is named Doris.
"My dad named her," explains Herlevi. "In Finnish, it is comparable to ęsweet girl' or ęchick.'"
Herlevi got involved in pulling through her dad, a champion puller himself. When his team began building a pro stock class tractor in 1998, the team boss suggested that she be the driver. It took the 20-year-old only a few minutes to accept the offer.
Today she competes against not only her dad, but also her brother. All three compete with Valtra 200 plus hp tractors. Modified for competition, the SisuDiesel 634 DS engine can generate well over 1,800 hp at 6,500 rpm's with a single turbocharger.
In six years of competition, she has become a top contender in the class. She was European Championship Gold winner in 1998, Silver winner in 2001 and Bronze winner in 2002. Her brother took Gold this past year, and her father placed fourth.
"It's a family affair," says Herlevi. "As we all drive in pro stock class, sometimes we get a little competitive, but still most of it is in fun. We don't take it so seriously that we can't support and help each other."
Herlevi's dad and brother built her tractor as well as their own. Now that she lives three hours from home, they handle all the tuning and mechanical upkeep, but at competitions, she does what is needed.
While she was the only female puller when she started, three other women pulled in the European Championship this past year. She encourages females to consider trying it, especially if there is a tractor puller in the family.
"It is largely a male hobby, so everybody likes when there are females around," reports Herlevi.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Johanna Herlevi, Valtra Inc., FIN-44200 Suolahti (ph 358(0)20 4550886; email: johanna.herlevi@valtra.com; website: http://tractorpulling.valtra.com/frameset.htm).
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