An Update From Scott MacCallum

An Update From Scott MacCallum: Another month and another great sporting event. We are currently in the early stages of the Rugby World Cup being held in Japan, and the Japanese groundsmen have the world’s spotlight shining on their work.

They will be experiencing the excitement, the pressures and the armchair criticism which go hand in hand with every major sporting event these days.

An Update From Scott MacCallum

For people who do regular jobs they cannot envisage the power of that spotlight and the negative impact a Twitter storm can have, all because a pitch is not what amateur groundsmen sitting in front of their TV screens believe that it should be.

If you work in an office you don’t get worldwide abuse for failing to note that the photocopier is out of paper or, in a sandwich shop, that you have not cut someone’s baguette into evenly proportioned halves. But with a job which carries television coverage anything goes and, without any external influences – bad weather being one example – being taken into account abuse can be hurled your way.

Unfortunately, the everyone has a right to an opinion society will continue and no doubt get worse. That particular cat is out of the bag and will not be returned.

While editing a newspaper a little while ago I got an email from a reader complaining that a word had being incorrectly spelt in one of the articles. It was great to be able to turn around and tell him that he had misspelt his own name in his own email to me!

If we all appreciated that none of us were perfect life would be much easier but even so a  thick skin is very much the requirement these days to get though life.

Razorback Launch New Flail Mowers

Razorback Launch New Flail Mowers: British manufacturer, Razorback Ltd, headed by Martin Lole, a well-known industry figure with a proven track record in engineering innovative solutions, exhibits their range of vegetation management equipment at Saltex 2019.

Alongside the manufacturers Auto-Level 550 reach mower and RT 500 wing mower the company will be launching their new range of flail mowers on stand G193.

Razorback Launch New Flail Mowers

The new additions to the current range will expand the manufacturers offering with the entire Razorback range synonymous with high quality design and build thanks to the decades of combined industry knowledge of their experienced R&D, sales and service teams.

High Quality Guaranteed as Flail Mower Range Expands

For the first time the manufacturer will be launching their new range of flail mowers, including lightweight solutions for the compact tractor through to heavy duty options for the agricultural and amenity user. The new range is a result of Razorback’s partnership with a well-established Italian manufacturer who like the British brand, specialise in innovative machinery.

With quality construction and clever design features as standard the new lines merge well with the manufacturers existing ranges.

Models include the RK DS Series, built with the demanding operation in mind, is fitted with a front and rear mountable headstock, double skin chassis and an anti-shock rotor. Available in widths up to 3.2m the RK DS Series is a heavy duty, high output machine for dense overgrown vegetation and grassland.

The RK DS Series will be on display on their stand G193 alongside other models from the new range.

New Razorback RT 500 Rotary Mower Boasts High Standard of British Engineering

With a cutting width of five metres, the Razorback RT 500 mower boasts solid construction and efficient rotary blade action which makes light work of most demanding agricultural and amenity operations.

As you would expect from a British-engineered product built on decades of heritage, the Razorback RT 500 has been developed with strength and durability in mind. Specifically, it features an easy-clean double skin deck and full-length removable skid shoes to extend the longevity of the machine.

Additionally, the RT 500 is fitted with the highest specification Bondioli & Pavesi gearboxes and drivelines with the latest easy lubrication system. Housed by top of the range guards, the 250HP driveline assembly provides ample power to the wing mower’s three triple-blade rotors, with a wing free float to help protect the hydraulic rams from excessive wear.

The combination of the deck’s unique shape and the triple blade configuration produces unapparelled updraft to award users a superior cut, even for a longer swath finish. The free-swinging blades have been produced out of Swedish Boron steel and a generous overlap to deliver an exceptionally clean cut and an even distribution of chopped residue across the entire working width of the machine. Debris is contained by the front and rear chain guards.

The RT 500 features four individually pressurised wheel arms fitted with heavy duty wheels on twin axles which award superior stability thanks to better cutting height control, contributing towards a smoother finish. Additionally, the RT 500’s wings offer a wide range of movement enabling the machine to closely follow the contours of the ground.

As well as the fine quality of the cut, the attention to detail on RT 500 extends to other useful features such as a MOD approved hydraulic hoses, a PTO driveline rest, full width LED lighting bar, tight turning circle  and a compact transportation width of just 2.4m.

The high-end specification as standard, exceptional performance and flexibility make Razorback RT 500 make it an appealing choice for farms, airports, racecourses, council authorities and amenity contractors alike.

Auto-Level 550 Reach Mower

Alongside the grass and stubble range, Razorback will be presenting their Auto-Level 550 reach mower. Featuring self-levelling Co-Pilot technology, the Razorback Auto-Level 550 reach mower has been designed to reduce operator fatigue, increase productivity and reduce cost. The 1.5-metre-wide rotary safety head option incorporates a SoftStart triple rotor and additional mulching blades which are in continuous contact with vegetation during the entire 360° cycle, resulting in a much cleaner and faster cut.

Razorback’s Auto-Level Co-Pilot technology ensures that the main frame of the machine remains level at all times, irrespective of the tractor angle in relation to the undulating ground. Subsequently, the requirement to make manual adjustments to account for the unevenness of the terrain is significantly reduced, making for a much easier, trouble-free operation.

The high-end specification comes as standard with the Auto-Level Co-Pilot device, electronic proportional controls and a fully independent hydraulic system with an oil cooler.   The 5.5m reach machine is available with a 1.5m rotary safety head with hydraulically controlled front hood and rear roller or a 1.2m belt driven flail head giving the operator greater flexibility to configure their own machine.

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Toro Takes Northamptonshire GC Into The Future

Toro Takes Northamptonshire GC Into The Future: Toro and Reesink Turfcare are delighted to welcome Northamptonshire County Golf Club as a Toro Total Solutions customer.

The Open Regional Qualifying club in the Midlands has committed to Toro as it brings back the feel of its past with Toro machinery and thinks to the future with a Toro irrigation renovation.

Toro Takes Northamptonshire GC Into The Future

Course manager, Rob Hay, who has been at the club for five years says the reason behind the commitment is twofold: “Over the years the course had been managed as a parkland course which it wasn’t designed to be. We’ve been working towards returning the course to its original heathland state as designed by Harry Colt, opening up each hole and giving it a flavour of the old days. Toro machinery is key to that.

“This is our first fleet lease deal, but we’ve been using Toro since before I started, and Toro is instrumental in this vision taking shape. Toro has made a big impact and brought about noticeable change in the direction of the course’s maintenance and members are seeing the difference. Many have commented on how the course now looks like they remember it from the early 1970s and plays with a true running heathland style from those days too, which we’re delighted to hear.”

When it comes to the irrigation, Rob says the club’s commitment to Toro is a nod to the future: “We’re not in a predicament with our current system, but we’re forward planning so we’re ready for a seamless transition when the time comes. What we noticed in the heatwave of last year was that there are areas that could be improved upon, more efficient and better managed. In the midlands we’re water scarce and as we irrigate from a local river the goal is to get ourselves into a position where we’re using our water better and utilising every drop. We believe Toro is the partner to make that happen.

“I’m conscious this is a big outlay – one of the biggest a course can make – and it’s important we get this right. We’re currently working with Reesink and Adrian Motram finalising the plans for what’s exactly needed and if the quality of the irrigation system is anything like that of the Toro machinery, I know we’ll be in for a great experience using Toro Irrigation.”

As one of only 13 Regional Qualifying courses in the UK, Northamptonshire County Golf Club has high standards to maintain, plus the challenge of an unusual 21-hole layout to contend with. “We appreciate we’re in the company of a select few being a Regional Qualifying course and take great pride in the fact that we resumed our status last year for the 147th Open,” says Rob.

Retaining that position comes with hard work and dedication, which Rob and his greenkeeping team of nine have in abundance. “Every year there are new projects to undertake and as a team we look forward to this as much as we do the usual high season maintenance work. It’s a good challenge for us all and having Toro on board has really made a difference.”

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New Products From ICL At SALTEX

New Products From ICL At SALTEX: ICL provides a wide variety of products for turf, landscape and industrial areas.  Visitors to stand K030 will be able to find out more about Lockstar, a new residual, pre-emergent herbicide that controls a broad spectrum of weeds.

Elsewhere on the SALTEX show floor, ICL’s International Technical Manager Dr. Andy Owen will be leading a seminar entitled Managing Parasitic Nematodes with Seaweed. Commencing on the second day of SALTEX in Learning LIVE Theatre Two at 12:40pm Andy will be providing an insight into ICL’s unique four-year research project which is exploring the effects of seaweed products on turfgrass plant parasitic nematodes.

New Products From ICL At SALTEX

The project, which is taking place at Royal Holloway, University of London, was founded due to the apparent rise of nematodes. As it stands, there are few options available for the turf manager who has a nematode problem but ICL is currently researching whether seaweed could offer a solution. Andy, who will be joined by PhD student Tamsin Williams, is of the opinion that when the right seaweed is applied to a grass plant it could change the resistance of the plant to disease and insect attack and both Andy and Tamsin will be revealing their current findings.

The ICL stand will feature a barista and free drinks will be available throughout the two-day event, so any SALTEX visitors looking to improve their turf or landscape areas should ensure that a visit to stand K030 is on their agenda.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Harrod Sport’s 16th Year At SALTEX

Harrod Sport’s 16th Year At SALTEX: For the 16th year, Harrod Sport will be exhibiting at SALTEX Exhibition at the NEC. We are proud to be involved in the biggest show for turf and ground’s care, and so excited to showcase all the new products which have been launched in the past year.

Along with showcasing our new innovations and products within the sport industry, we can’t wait to catch-up and meet with many new and existing customers. We’ve been working hard on designing a stylish stand which is sleek and modern to showcase our brand, and what Harrod Sport is all about.

Harrod Sport’s 16th Year At SALTEX

Also, on our stand we will be featuring our new Portable Team Shelter.

We will be welcoming visitors to take a seat in the shelter and try it out! The Portable Team Shelter is the perfect mobile, self-weighted dugout for multi-sport facilities such as clubs, universities and schools. Since release we have supplied this amazing new shelter to Crystal Palace FC, Glasgow Rangers and St George’s Park, along with various universities across the U.K.

Harrod Sport’s 16th Year At SALTEX

2019 has been another incredibly successful year for Harrod Sport. We have been lucky enough to be suppliers to some amazing events including: The FIFA Women’s World Cup in France; The Champions League Final; The Netball World Cup; and most recently the Rugby World Cup taking place now in Japan. Along with showcasing products on our stand, we will also be showcasing all the exciting events we’ve been involved with.

Harrod Sport are looking forward to seeing you at the show – ensure you come visit us on stand K095!

For more information visit harrodsport.com

Follow Harrod Sport on Twitter – @HarrodSport

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