Martin Smith, aged 38 from Strathdee Properties in Craigellachie, has been crowned Scottish Plant Operator Challenge Champion 2024 after emerging victorious at the national competition over the weekend.

The event, sponsored by the CITB, took place on July 27th at Errol Airfield in Perthshire, where 44 plant operators from all over the country undertook eight challenges designed to put their skills to the test. The eight challenges included the Backhoe Loader Challenge, sponsored by JCB; Telehandler Challenge, sponsored by Scot JCB; Selector Grab Challenge on an 8t Tracked Excavator, sponsored by Field and Forest Machinery; Trenching challenge on a 13t Tracked Excavator, sponsored by Blackwood Plant Hire; Lifting Challenge on a 20t Tracked Excavator Challenge, sponsored by SANY; Grading Challenge on a 20t Tracked Excavator, sponsored by Scot JCB; Attachment Challenge on a 14t Excavator sponsored by Geith and Morris Leslie and finally the Mystery Wildcard Challenge which turned out to be on a compact tracked loader from Manitou.

Martin Smith won £5,000 as well as an array of exclusive rewards from sponsors including Highland Industrial Supplies and Milwaukee.

Martin Smith finished first in the individual challenges Trenching and Loadall and placed first overall. On being crowned Scottish Plant Operator Challenge Champion 2024, Martin Smith said: "It feels amazing to win, especially because I came into the plant industry late. When I first left school, I worked as a welder fabricator but growing up in Speyside, I was never far from plant machinery used in farming and I'd always been drawn to farming. When I started working for Strathdee Properties in 2011, it offered me the perfect balance because the company is involved in farming and property development, so before long I was behind the leavers on an excavator and I haven’t looked back since!

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"I really enjoyed taking part in the Scottish Plant Operator Challenge, it was a great day out. The challenges were not easy but I am pleased with how I handled it and just delighted to have won."

Thomasz Orkiszewski from Mouse Valley Training Ltd and a CPCS and NPORS Trainer and Tester, was one of the judges at the Scottish Plant Operator Challenge. Speaking about Martin, Thomas said: "Martin is a worthy winner. He excelled in the Trenching and Loadall challenges and kept calm and held his nerve to finish on top. Congratulations Martin!"

Finishing in second place was John Stewart and receives £2,500. In third place was Scott Hamilton from Hamilton Plant Hire who receives £1,000.

The winners of each of the eight challenges were as follows:

Tower of Hanoi: William Telford

Trenching: Martin Smith

Backhoe: Lewis Cameron

On the Hook: Adam Howarth

Make the Grade: James Penman

Mani-challenge: William Telford

Balls Up: Blair Largue

Loadall: Martin Smith

Each challenge winner receives a cash prize of £250 and exclusive merchandise from the challenge sponsors.

Speaking about the Scottish Plant Operator Challenge 2024, promoter Callum Mackintosh added: "What a weekend! This was the second edition of the Scottish Plant Operator Challenge, and the event is going from strength to strength. We were honoured to have First Minister and MSP for Perthshire North, John Swinney, open the event. We welcomed visitors of all ages and from all over the country.

"A big thank you to Morris Leslie who once again allowed us to run the Scottish Plant Operator Challenge alongside the Vintage Working Plant and Tractor Weekend, a firm favourite with plant enthusiasts and local people. Congratulations to Martin Smith, a worthy winner who I hope will inspire other people, especially the younger generation, to consider a career in plant. Well done to all the operators who took part and thank you to all our sponsors, helpers and friends because without their support, this event would not happen."

Thanks to the generosity of visitors to the Scottish Plant Operator Challenge and Vintage Working Plant and Tractor Weekend, £3,800 was raised on the gate for TASH4Ukraine, a charity based at Errol Airfield which works closely with volunteers and charities in Poland, Ukraine and the UK to provide practical, targeted aid to Ukrainians following the Russian invasion.