LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky's Wildcat Pulling Team returned from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International Quarter Scale Tractor Student Design Competition in Bloomington, Illinois, bringing home multiple awards and extending its dominance in heavyweight pulling events.

The largest Wildcat team ever—19 undergraduates, two graduate students and four advisors—competed in two divisions at the event. The A-Team, which designed a new tractor called Wildcat 3526, won the heavyweight pull and placed seventh overall out of 24 competing schools. The team also earned awards for best appearance, manufacturability and ergonomics, and ranked second in durability, fourth in team presentation, fifth in overall design judging and sixth for its written report.

The X-Team, which redesigned components from last year's Wildcat 3525 tractor, placed third overall and won both of its pulls, retiring the machine with an undefeated record. More significantly, the entire program has remained undefeated in heavyweight pulls for the last three years—a remarkable streak in a competition where teams are given a 31 horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine and compete in tractor pulls, maneuverability courses and durability tests.

"The hands-on experience has made it for me," said William Faulkner, a recent UK graduate in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. "Sometimes when people go into the industry, they don't know the entire manufacturing side of things, like how things get built. It's been cool to learn what I can do to make something work in the real world."

The competition represents a crucial opportunity for students to develop practical skills. Michael Sama, a Bill Gatton Foundation Distinguished Professor and director of graduate studies for BAE, works alongside advisors Brett Childers, Dan Workman and Karla Ladino to guide the team.

Lauren Lanham, another recent UK graduate from Trigg County who joined the team during her freshman year, credited the program with providing invaluable career preparation and lasting relationships. "This pulling team has become my family basically," she said. "But also having past members that we sometimes contact to ask questions and help us out has been special."

The University of Kentucky has participated in the ASABE competition for 25 years, establishing a legacy of excellence in engineering design. The Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, a joint offering of the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering and Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, provided essential support for the program. The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation and the Pigman College of Engineering Student Opportunity Fund helped fund student lodging for the competition.