Brand loyalty has traditionally been very strong in Ireland. In saying that, people buy off people and as dealers change colours, new tractor prices rocket and brand competition intensifies, more and more farmers and contractors have been willing to consider other options in recent years.
However, this hasn’t been the case for Tyrone contracting brothers, the Teagues. They run an agricultural contracting business alongside their mixed sheep and suckler farming enterprises.
Lamborghini tractors have been at the heart of the operation since Joe and Damien set up the contracting business in 2003. Later joined by their younger brother Conor, the family now runs 10 Lamborghinis and one Deutz tractor, covering a 30-mile radius from their base near Trillick in Co Tyrone. 
“We grew up watching most of the hire work in our area being done with Lamborghini tractors. We always had a great love for them as children and teenagers and I suppose that awe stuck with us over the years".
Photos/John McVitty
Why Lamborghini?
Growing up learning their trade on the farm’s Ford 4000 and Massey Ferguson 690, the Teague brothers were keen machinery enthusiasts, but they had their eyes set on a different brand.
“We grew up watching most of the hire work in our area being done with Lamborghini tractors.
“We always had a great love for them as children and teenagers and I suppose that awe stuck with us over the years.
“Lamborghini tractors have served us very well since we started contracting. We’ve clocked over 20,000 hours on several of the tractors and they are still going strong.
“They might not be the best tractor on the market, but down through the years our local dealer Joe Barrett has always looked after us with a great service, whether it be day or night. That’s worth an awful lot,” explained Joe. 
"Down through the years our local dealer Joe Barrett has always looked after us with a great service, whether it be day or night. That’s worth an awful lot”, explained Joe.
In 2003, the brothers purchased a new Lamborghini 1300 at a cost of £28,000. Although working in the sector for several years previous, this was the start of the brothers’ own contracting setup, initially hiring the tractor into a local contractor.
That autumn, a hedge cutter was purchased and married up to the tractor. The following spring, the contractor the brothers used to help out decided get out of the business.
This presented an opportunity to the brothers who secured a share of the work. They purchased some of his gear including an umbilical spreading outfit, which were sparse at the time and key to gaining a lot of new work. 
"We’ve clocked over 20,000 hours on several of the tractors and they are still going strong". \ John McVitty
Tractors through the years
With the addition of the umbilical outfit in 2004, the workload greatly increased. To meet demand, the brothers purchased a second 1300 and a 135 Formula, both of which were fresh used tractors.
The following year in 2005, a self-propelled forager was added to the fleet. To keep up with the workload, two new Lamborghini tractors were also added that year.
The first was a new 150.7. This was one of the first of these models in the country. Powered by a 7l engine, the brothers regarded it as a serious pulling tractor. The second was a low houred R5 130.
By now, the brothers had grown the business into a sizeable contracting outfit, largely specialising in pit silage and umbilical slurry spreading, but other services such as reseeding and hedge cutting were also offered.
In 2010, two more new Lamborghinis were added, namely a 150 and a 175.
Damien explained, “The 150 is the best tractor in our yard. There is over 16,000 hours on it and it hasn’t given as much as a day’s trouble since the day it arrived.” 
The brothers most recent tractor investments were two new Lamborghinis in 2019.
In 2012, a used Deutz 265 was bought to see how a set of butterfly mowers would work for the business. After four successful years, this was upgraded to a Deutz X720.
Joe added: “This was one of the best moves we made. The move to butterfly mowers really increased the output capacity and efficiency we were getting from one tractor”.
A clean example of a used 1300 was picked up in the years that followed. 
Figures from the Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics show there are 607 Lamborghini tractors registered on Irish roads
Latest additions
The most recent tractor investments were two new Lamborghinis in 2019. One was a Spark 155 and the other a Spark 165. Again, only some of a handful of this size of new-type Lamborghinis have been sold in the country.
“We love the newer tractors. The huge jump in operator comfort is the biggest change compared to the older tractors. The 155 is a more basic model. It has manual spools and a traditional gearbox with a gearstick. We find it great for hauling on the road.
“Meanwhile, the 165 is a higher-spec model. It has electric spools and features the RC shift gearbox. It’s a great transmission but we just like the older-type models with the gearstick. We’ve surpassed 3,000 hours with both of the newer tractors and they’ve given little to no trouble to date.
“We still have the first Lamborghini we bought new in 2003. It has 19,000 hours on the clock and is still on its original brakes. It’s still working regularly and sits permanently on wide Terra floatation tyres largely for hedge cutting and umbilical work. Time will tell if the new ones will stick the same pace. They are now the very same as the latest Deutz tractors but we’ll be sticking with the white livery,” laughed Damien. 
“Contracting is a very tough career in the modern world".
Lamborghini history
Lamborghini Trattori was founded in 1948. Based in Cento, Italy, the tractor manufacturer was founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini, who later went on to establish the famous high-end car business, namely Lamborghini Automobili.
In the early years, it is understood Lamborghini used discarded war materials to produce its first tractors. This included truck and military vehicle engines and parts which were sourced from ARAR centres. ARAR was a company set up by the Italian government to sell property which had been left behind by the Allies or abandoned by German occupiers in Italy. In the following years, the manufacturer started to build its own engine and enjoyed good success.
Following a reported argument with Enzo Ferrari about a faulty clutch in his Ferrari, Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to start building his own luxury cars. The first model was introduced in 1963. The highly sought-after Miura came in 1966 which powered the manufacturer into the world of regarded sports cars.
In 1973, Lamborghini became part of SAME. In 1979, SAME acquired Hürlimann in Switzerland and in 1995, the group acquired Deutz-Fahr in Germany. 
In 2010, two new Lamborghinis were added, namely a 150 and a 175.
Lamborghini in Ireland
Several decades ago, Lamborghini tractors were quite popular in certain pockets throughout the country. As the years went on, the brand’s popularity dwindled. It is understood this was largely down to politics, with SDF UK deciding Deutz was the brand they wanted to push in Ireland and the UK. Punters who wanted the Lamborghini had to fork out an extra €2,000 to €3,000 for the same tractor, only in a different colour. 
“We love the newer tractors. The huge jump in operator comfort is the biggest change compared to the older tractors".
Figures from the Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics show there are 607 Lamborghini tractors registered on Irish roads, with the brand accounting for 0.77% of all Irish tractors, the majority of whom would be older machines.
“It was around 2005 when SDF streamlined the business and began building Lamborghini and Deutz tractors the same. This brought about a completely different tractor than what we were used to. Deutz used better components, but the tractors came at a more premium price.
“We have thousands of hours clocked on models before and after they streamlined the manufacturing process and the only real issue we ever had with the initial Lamborghinis was some head gasket trouble.
“We found the power shift gearbox very reliable, but at the same time you’d want to be mechanically minded to drive it with the care it needs. We also found the tractors to have great brakes, I don’t think we ever had to go near a set,” explained Joe. 
"In 2003, the brothers purchased a new Lamborghini 1300 at a cost of £28,000".
Views on modern day contracting
“Contracting is a very tough career in the modern world. It is also a young man’s game and it’s difficult to make a living from it. It’s great when you’re young and you’ve no responsibility. It doesn’t matter if you’re not home until all hours and gone early for several days and nights running. But when you get older and have a young family its hard to get the balance right. You have to spend time with your family and go to important events such as christenings or birthdays.
“With the price of new machinery, the return for investment just isn’t there anymore. You buy a new machine, finance and run it for five years, and next thing you’ve to change it again. It’s either repayments or repairs and there’s a fine line between both.
“It’s a never-ending cycle and it’s difficult to keep up with it. The two biggest challenges for the sector going forward are the continual price rises in machinery and the availability and the price of good labour. Contractors can’t afford to pay the big wages like other sectors such as construction can. We’ve gone more into farming in recent years and we can see that the money isn’t in it for the primary producer, so the contractor can’t charge the rate that’s needed to justify all the costs,” concluded Joe.
Brand loyalty has traditionally been very strong in Ireland. In saying that, people buy off people and as dealers change colours, new tractor prices rocket and brand competition intensifies, more and more farmers and contractors have been willing to consider other options in recent years.
However, this hasn’t been the case for Tyrone contracting brothers, the Teagues. They run an agricultural contracting business alongside their mixed sheep and suckler farming enterprises.
Lamborghini tractors have been at the heart of the operation since Joe and Damien set up the contracting business in 2003. Later joined by their younger brother Conor, the family now runs 10 Lamborghinis and one Deutz tractor, covering a 30-mile radius from their base near Trillick in Co Tyrone.
“We grew up watching most of the hire work in our area being done with Lamborghini tractors. We always had a great love for them as children and teenagers and I suppose that awe stuck with us over the years".
Photos/John McVitty
Why Lamborghini?
Growing up learning their trade on the farm’s Ford 4000 and Massey Ferguson 690, the Teague brothers were keen machinery enthusiasts, but they had their eyes set on a different brand.
“We grew up watching most of the hire work in our area being done with Lamborghini tractors.
“We always had a great love for them as children and teenagers and I suppose that awe stuck with us over the years.
“Lamborghini tractors have served us very well since we started contracting. We’ve clocked over 20,000 hours on several of the tractors and they are still going strong.
“They might not be the best tractor on the market, but down through the years our local dealer Joe Barrett has always looked after us with a great service, whether it be day or night. That’s worth an awful lot,” explained Joe.
"Down through the years our local dealer Joe Barrett has always looked after us with a great service, whether it be day or night. That’s worth an awful lot”, explained Joe.
In 2003, the brothers purchased a new Lamborghini 1300 at a cost of £28,000. Although working in the sector for several years previous, this was the start of the brothers’ own contracting setup, initially hiring the tractor into a local contractor.
That autumn, a hedge cutter was purchased and married up to the tractor. The following spring, the contractor the brothers used to help out decided get out of the business.
This presented an opportunity to the brothers who secured a share of the work. They purchased some of his gear including an umbilical spreading outfit, which were sparse at the time and key to gaining a lot of new work.
"We’ve clocked over 20,000 hours on several of the tractors and they are still going strong". \ John McVitty
Tractors through the years
With the addition of the umbilical outfit in 2004, the workload greatly increased. To meet demand, the brothers purchased a second 1300 and a 135 Formula, both of which were fresh used tractors.
The following year in 2005, a self-propelled forager was added to the fleet. To keep up with the workload, two new Lamborghini tractors were also added that year.
The first was a new 150.7. This was one of the first of these models in the country. Powered by a 7l engine, the brothers regarded it as a serious pulling tractor. The second was a low houred R5 130.
By now, the brothers had grown the business into a sizeable contracting outfit, largely specialising in pit silage and umbilical slurry spreading, but other services such as reseeding and hedge cutting were also offered.
In 2010, two more new Lamborghinis were added, namely a 150 and a 175.
Damien explained, “The 150 is the best tractor in our yard. There is over 16,000 hours on it and it hasn’t given as much as a day’s trouble since the day it arrived.”
The brothers most recent tractor investments were two new Lamborghinis in 2019.
In 2012, a used Deutz 265 was bought to see how a set of butterfly mowers would work for the business. After four successful years, this was upgraded to a Deutz X720.
Joe added: “This was one of the best moves we made. The move to butterfly mowers really increased the output capacity and efficiency we were getting from one tractor”.
A clean example of a used 1300 was picked up in the years that followed.
Figures from the Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics show there are 607 Lamborghini tractors registered on Irish roads
Latest additions
The most recent tractor investments were two new Lamborghinis in 2019. One was a Spark 155 and the other a Spark 165. Again, only some of a handful of this size of new-type Lamborghinis have been sold in the country.
“We love the newer tractors. The huge jump in operator comfort is the biggest change compared to the older tractors. The 155 is a more basic model. It has manual spools and a traditional gearbox with a gearstick. We find it great for hauling on the road.
“Meanwhile, the 165 is a higher-spec model. It has electric spools and features the RC shift gearbox. It’s a great transmission but we just like the older-type models with the gearstick. We’ve surpassed 3,000 hours with both of the newer tractors and they’ve given little to no trouble to date.
“We still have the first Lamborghini we bought new in 2003. It has 19,000 hours on the clock and is still on its original brakes. It’s still working regularly and sits permanently on wide Terra floatation tyres largely for hedge cutting and umbilical work. Time will tell if the new ones will stick the same pace. They are now the very same as the latest Deutz tractors but we’ll be sticking with the white livery,” laughed Damien.
“Contracting is a very tough career in the modern world".
Lamborghini history
Lamborghini Trattori was founded in 1948. Based in Cento, Italy, the tractor manufacturer was founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini, who later went on to establish the famous high-end car business, namely Lamborghini Automobili.
In the early years, it is understood Lamborghini used discarded war materials to produce its first tractors. This included truck and military vehicle engines and parts which were sourced from ARAR centres. ARAR was a company set up by the Italian government to sell property which had been left behind by the Allies or abandoned by German occupiers in Italy. In the following years, the manufacturer started to build its own engine and enjoyed good success.
Following a reported argument with Enzo Ferrari about a faulty clutch in his Ferrari, Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to start building his own luxury cars. The first model was introduced in 1963. The highly sought-after Miura came in 1966 which powered the manufacturer into the world of regarded sports cars.
In 1973, Lamborghini became part of SAME. In 1979, SAME acquired Hürlimann in Switzerland and in 1995, the group acquired Deutz-Fahr in Germany.
In 2010, two new Lamborghinis were added, namely a 150 and a 175.
Lamborghini in Ireland
Several decades ago, Lamborghini tractors were quite popular in certain pockets throughout the country. As the years went on, the brand’s popularity dwindled. It is understood this was largely down to politics, with SDF UK deciding Deutz was the brand they wanted to push in Ireland and the UK. Punters who wanted the Lamborghini had to fork out an extra €2,000 to €3,000 for the same tractor, only in a different colour.
“We love the newer tractors. The huge jump in operator comfort is the biggest change compared to the older tractors".
Figures from the Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics show there are 607 Lamborghini tractors registered on Irish roads, with the brand accounting for 0.77% of all Irish tractors, the majority of whom would be older machines.
“It was around 2005 when SDF streamlined the business and began building Lamborghini and Deutz tractors the same. This brought about a completely different tractor than what we were used to. Deutz used better components, but the tractors came at a more premium price.
“We have thousands of hours clocked on models before and after they streamlined the manufacturing process and the only real issue we ever had with the initial Lamborghinis was some head gasket trouble.
“We found the power shift gearbox very reliable, but at the same time you’d want to be mechanically minded to drive it with the care it needs. We also found the tractors to have great brakes, I don’t think we ever had to go near a set,” explained Joe.
"In 2003, the brothers purchased a new Lamborghini 1300 at a cost of £28,000".
Views on modern day contracting
“Contracting is a very tough career in the modern world. It is also a young man’s game and it’s difficult to make a living from it. It’s great when you’re young and you’ve no responsibility. It doesn’t matter if you’re not home until all hours and gone early for several days and nights running. But when you get older and have a young family its hard to get the balance right. You have to spend time with your family and go to important events such as christenings or birthdays.
“With the price of new machinery, the return for investment just isn’t there anymore. You buy a new machine, finance and run it for five years, and next thing you’ve to change it again. It’s either repayments or repairs and there’s a fine line between both.
“It’s a never-ending cycle and it’s difficult to keep up with it. The two biggest challenges for the sector going forward are the continual price rises in machinery and the availability and the price of good labour. Contractors can’t afford to pay the big wages like other sectors such as construction can. We’ve gone more into farming in recent years and we can see that the money isn’t in it for the primary producer, so the contractor can’t charge the rate that’s needed to justify all the costs,” concluded Joe.
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