Habs grounds team more efficient with Ventrac: Habs Boys and Habs Girls are two leading independent schools, dating back to 1690, on a fabulous 104 acre, co-educational campus in Hertfordshire.
Mike Kemmett is Head of Grounds & Gardens. He and his team are responsible for maintaining the extensive grounds to a high standard. Football, rugby, lacrosse and cricket, to name a few, all have to have turf playing surfaces maintained. As with all establishments, however, Mike’s budget needs careful control. In September 2024 Habs was reconsidering its ageing machinery fleet. It was at that time that Mike considered their first Ventrac package from RT Machinery. Versatility and multi-tasking were high on the list of requirements from new machinery and the combination had perform more efficiently than the outgoing fleet. Has the plan worked?
Habs grounds team more efficient with Ventrac
Mike commented that previously Habs had an out-front rider with flail mower for their rough areas, tractors with rear mounted rotaries for quick pitch recovery between games and cylinder mowers for cricket and fine turf maintenance. In fact Mike’s first experience with Ventrac was a demonstration of the 4520 tractor with a Power Rake. “A cricket net area had been let go and needed reclamation. We had concrete rubble, bits of steel and other rubbish, it was a mess” says Mike. “A demo from Ventrac restored it in a few hours to a point where we could replant the area”. Mike also commented that “In addition we saw the stump grinder and trenching attachment, both of which completed tasks that would have taken us much longer to do otherwise. I was impressed”
On the back of these demonstrations Habs purchased a Ventrac 4520, MU720 Finishing Mower, an HQ682 Rough Cut Mower and a KM500 Fore-end Loader, knowing that other accessories could be purchased or hired in future. Mike likes the one power unit, many attachments concept. One immediate advantage being it saves space in his barn. Another advantage is “One operator can swap from one attachment to another in minutes” says Mike. “The Tough Cut mower has cleared woodlands that haven’t been touched in years, we even cut twelve foot bamboo down. It was an old assault course we will now use for something else.”
The Wide Area Mower allows Mike and his team to repair divots and pitch damage even in winter. “We’re predominantly clay. Our pitches take a punishing sometimes” said Mike. “The rear roller stripes the pitches nicely and makes the pitch safer even if the pitches are over used during events like rugby sevens”. With their old fleet of tractors and mowers they would not have got onto the pitches so play would be cancelled or held elsewhere. Mike has found that the compactness, low ground pressure and articulated steering of the Ventrac allows him to turn faster at the end of each run on a pitch without turf damage. “A job that took three and half hours now takes two and half” commented Mike, a 28% improvement in efficiency.
Habs continues to expand its horizons and is introducing new facilities, planning for the future. The versatility of more than thirty two attachments will ensure the Ventracs indispensability in helping to maintain the campus to the high standard that is expected. The plan is working.
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