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Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards

June 19, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards: The hard-work and dedication of Lantra’s Instructor and Assessor network were recently celebrated at the inaugural Instructor Excellence Awards at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. Over 40 Instructors were in attendance for the ceremony, which also saw Lantra hosting a networking session whilst delegates enjoyed a celebratory hog roast lunch. […]

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club

June 19, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club: Honiton Golf Club in Devon purchased their Ventrac compact tractor and Contour mowing deck in March 2020, just days before the first Covid lockdown and in that time it has been performing consistently well, according to Stuart Broom, the club’s head greenkeeper. “We sit some 850 […]

Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards

June 19, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club

June 19, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Admin

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Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards

June 19, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards: The hard-work and dedication of Lantra’s Instructor and Assessor network were recently celebrated at the inaugural Instructor Excellence Awards at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

Over 40 Instructors were in attendance for the ceremony, which also saw Lantra hosting a networking session whilst delegates enjoyed a celebratory hog roast lunch.

Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards

Lantra staff presented winners with industry excellence awards for categories in 4×4, tractors, lift trucks, pesticides, pest control, health and safety, ground-based chainsaw, tree inspection, aerial arboriculture, plant and machinery and also landscape tools.

As well as individual industry awards up for grabs, there were also categories for outstanding contribution, best newcomer and longest serving Instructor. Trophies and winner prizes were kindly sponsored by Lantra partners EGO Power Plus and Cooper Pegler.

One of the highlights of the event saw Edward Willmott – a Lantra Instructor of 53 years – sharing an insightful and moving speech about his time teaching cattle hoof trimming whilst accepting his longest serving award.

Stephen Roberts, Head of Instructor Network at Lantra, said: “We were delighted to celebrate the fantastic achievements of our committed Instructor and Assessor network at the recent inaugural event ceremony.

The talented and often unsung individuals inspire and motivate Learners and the next generation daily, imparting key skills and knowledge whilst delivering crucial courses in the environment and land-based industries. A huge congratulations to all the brilliant and well-deserved nominees and winners!”

Sam Jones of SCJ Training, winner of the excellence in ground-based chainsaws and outstanding contribution awards, commented: “I’m so grateful to the Lantra Provider Network for voting for me in the recent Lantra Instructor Awards. It was even better that I actually won a couple of awards! I have been teaching chainsaws as well as other Lantra courses for many years and it is so fantastic to be recognised for my contribution to developing the skills of others.

“I am passionate about training and developing people” Jones continued. “To be awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award was a real surprise to me yet a welcome one as again, my hard work behind the scenes has been recognised.”

Off Road Consultancy’s Leanne Putt also said about the event: “We had a fantastic day and it was a great opportunity to network with other Instructors and Providers. It was a real surprise and an honour to have received an award. It’s nice to receive the recognition of the hard work that we all put in.

“I’m so grateful to be involved with Lantra as it’s such a friendly and supportive environment. I look forward to seeing everyone again next year for great food, great atmosphere and a thoroughly enjoyable day.”

Freelance Instructor Roger Madge added: “I am still on a high following the Instructor Awards on Friday. It was such a great surprise to have received an award and I am absolutely chuffed!

It was a fantastic day and so good to get together with Instructors, Providers and the staff at Lantra.”

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Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club

June 19, 2023/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club: Honiton Golf Club in Devon purchased their Ventrac compact tractor and Contour mowing deck in March 2020, just days before the first Covid lockdown and in that time it has been performing consistently well, according to Stuart Broom, the club’s head greenkeeper.

“We sit some 850 feet above sea level and are an 18-hole parkland course with a practice facility, situated on clay, so we can be wet at times, but our elevation and exposure to the wind helps the course dry reasonably quickly,” he said. “I came here in 2015 as deputy and was appointed head greenkeeper in 2019.

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club

“There’s six of us in the greenkeeping team with experience ranging from 38 years to the newest member at just 8 months. Like many other clubs, we had an influx of members as a result of Covid; for us it was significant at around 200, bringing the total membership to 670. We have a great committee, who are fully supportive of us and actively encourage our professional development, which is good for the younger lads.”

“We needed to improve the visual appearance on the banking around our greens and tees and also the semi-rough. I looked at several competitor machines across the major brands, but the Ventrac stood out because of its versatility; there’s a wide selection of implements you can get for it. The second reason was that it’s certified to operate on 30-degree slopes, so from a health and safety point of view, it’s a no-brainer. We have numerous slopes out there that we used to strim, but we now use the Ventrac and save multiple work hours, they get cut more regularly and they look better.

“During the original demo, the demonstrator noticed that we had a SISIS slitter in the shed and asked if he could attach it to the rear linkage and take it across the greens. I was bit sceptical because we usually tow it with our worktruck and I wouldn’t put that on the greens as they were wet. Undeterred, he put it on the back, went across the green and you just wouldn’t have noticed; it was impressive. So, the light footprint was another significant selling point and we use it for that purpose as well during the winter.

“We recently purchased a small link box for the rear of the machine, which can carry a selection of tools and again we use it winter for changing holes. We also have it on the back when cutting banks, so we can carry a strimmer and blower to complete the job in a single operation.

“We hired the Tough Cut deck from our local dealer, Devon Garden Machinery (DGM), to clear gorse and bracken from around our 9^th and 13^th greens and it performed brilliantly; it’s a fantastic piece of kit. I did break a couple of belts, but the servicing information on this machine is superb. You open a cover and all the information you need is there. It includes the part number, so you can order it and it’s with us the following day. From initial demonstration, through delivery, to after-sales support, Price Turfcare and DGM have been excellent.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

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Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club

Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club

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Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards

Instructors and Assessors shine in inaugural awards: The hard-work and dedication of Lantra’s Instructor and Assessor network were recently celebrated at the inaugural Instructor Excellence Awards at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

Ventrac – Three years on at Honiton Golf Club

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