When it comes to being bitten by the machinery bug, sometimes it’s just in the blood. That couldn’t be truer for the Pratt family, who now have three generations of ‘machinery men’ playing a strong role in both the Ramsey Bros and Case IH stories.
There was never any question for Riverton Service Manager Jason Pratt, about which industry to sink his teeth into.
“Dad was always in the heavy equipment field, so my brother Andrew and I grew up, living and breathing big mining trucks, bigger tractors and massive machinery. In the final 10 years before he retired, Dad worked with a CASE Construction machinery dealership which he was really proud of.
“When Andrew and I were just kids, Dad would take us into his workshop on the weekends. We’d have a field day, sifting through the scrap metal to find starter motors, transmissions, old engines.
“Every bit of ‘junk’ was our treasure and we’d spend all day pulling it apart to see how it’d been put together. We were fascinated! Of course, we’d all be in the shit with Mum when we’d get home — all three of us covered in grease,— he laughs.
These days, Andrew Pratt has racked up an impressive 35 years with Case IH, selling the very products he grew up dreaming of. It was his long-standing dealing with Ramsey Bros that hooked more Pratts into Ramsey Bros’ Riverton branch. Now, it’s bursting at the seams with Jason and his son, Daniel who’s a fourth-year apprentice; plus Andrew’s son, Ashden in sales.
“There was never a doubt in my mind about what I wanted to do,— says Jason. “It’s damn good that we watched our Dad and wanted to follow in his footsteps and now, Andrew and I have passed that onto the next generation.
“Sadly, Dad passed away about 18 months ago, but his love for the industry lives on through us. When Andrew, Ashden, Daniel and I are together, we love talking tractors and even Mum proudly talks shop with us, too. “I think it says a lot about the industry and it doesn’t get better than dealing with great country people, getting out onto farms and really living every boy’s dream — tractors and machinery all day, every day!—