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Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

May 12, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena For International show jumping trainer Dan Delsart, the quality of the surface beneath his horses isn’t just a detail – it’s a foundation. Based in North Northamptonshire, Dan has created a bespoke arena at Teeton Valley Stables using carefully selected materials from Mansfield Sand, helping him deliver […]

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

May 11, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers At Haileybury School in Hertfordshire, Kress robotic mowers are playing a key role in helping the grounds team maintain consistently high standards across a 500-acre estate. For Head of Grounds and Gardens Andy Richards, the technology has become an important part of a wider strategy to manage […]

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

May 12, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

May 11, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

May 12, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

For International show jumping trainer Dan Delsart, the quality of the surface beneath his horses isn’t just a detail – it’s a foundation.

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

Based in North Northamptonshire, Dan has created a bespoke arena at Teeton Valley Stables using carefully selected materials from Mansfield Sand, helping him deliver a surface that prioritises both performance and horse welfare.

Dan has spent nearly 20 years building his career in the UK after originally coming over from France to train and develop his skills. Today, his arena reflects both his European experience and his commitment to creating a surface as close to natural grass as possible.

“We built the facilities ourselves and we built the arena,” Dan explains. “I wanted to recreate as natural a surface as we could.”

Having competed and trained across France, Belgium, Holland, Spain and the UK, Dan had seen a wide variety of surfaces and knew exactly what he wanted when it came to his own.

“I wanted a good sand which drains, and a sand which can hold a bit of moisture, so it doesn’t dry too quickly and go dusty,” he says. “And with adding up some quality fibres we were able to recreate a bit of a root like grass.”

That approach led him to work with Mansfield Sand, combining their materials with fibres from Combi-Ride to create a hybrid surface designed for performance and durability.

The result is a surface that balances freedom of movement with support, helping reduce the risk of injury while maintaining consistent rideability.

Since the arena was completed in August 2022, Dan has been impressed by how well it performs under daily use.

“We have a lot of horses here; about 15 to 20 a day,” he says. “Some days we might not pass the leveller for two or three days because the arena still looks really good.”

Maintenance still plays a key role, but the surface’s consistency makes day-to-day management straightforward.

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

“You’ve got to read the arena,” Dan adds. “If a jump starts to feel a bit loose, just pass the tractor over it, give it a bit of water if you need to. It’s just maintenance and looking after your horses in the long term.”

That long-term focus is exactly what makes the surface so important to Dan. For him, it’s about protecting horses and supporting natural biomechanics.

“The arena is so good, the surface is so natural under the horse’s hoof,” he explains. “That’s really important; to not have that impact and blockage of movement when the horses land.”

His confidence in the system has already led to recommendations across his network, from fellow professionals to veterinary practices.

“I’ve recommended it to so many people,” Dan says. “Even vets have come here and said how good the surface is.”

With the combination of Mansfield Sand’s high-quality materials and Combi-Ride’s expertise, Dan believes he’s found the ideal solution; one that supports both performance and welfare.

“If I had to build another 20 arenas, I’d do exactly the same,” he adds.

For more information, visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk, follow them on X at @MansfieldSand, or connect on Facebook and Instagram at Mansfield Sand Sport Surfaces.

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Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

May 11, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

At Haileybury School in Hertfordshire, Kress robotic mowers are playing a key role in helping the grounds team maintain consistently high standards across a 500-acre estate. For Head of Grounds and Gardens Andy Richards, the technology has become an important part of a wider strategy to manage a busy, high-pressure site more efficiently.

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

Set within a co-educational boarding and day school environment, the grounds are in near constant use.

“We’re a 365-day school,” says Andy. “We’ve got students, lettings, tournaments and events throughout the year, so the pressure on the grounds never really stops.”

With 17 winter sports pitches, cricket facilities and extensive amenity areas, the demands are relentless, particularly on heavy London clay soils.

“It’s probably the most unforgiving soil you could have,” he explains. “It holds water in the winter and then dries and cracks in the summer. The weather just adds to that pressure.”

Haileybury’s journey into robotic mowing was not immediate. Like many in the industry, Andy initially viewed the technology with curiosity rather than intent.

“We were aware of robotics and where the industry was going, but at first we couldn’t really see where it would fit for us.”

That changed when noise became an issue on the main school quad.

“It’s a high-profile area right in the centre of the school, but we had complaints during exam periods because of loud mowing. We needed a solution that could work quietly and out of hours.”

Early trials with other systems fell short.

“We tried a few other brands, but the finish wasn’t good enough and the mowing patterns were too random,” Andy says. “It didn’t give us the quality we were looking for.”

A demonstration from Kress changed everything.

“The Kress demo was a game changer. To see a mower cutting in straight lines and producing a proper striped finish was completely different. Everyone was blown away by it.”

Unlike most robotic systems, Kress machines use satellite-guided navigation combined with their own RTK network, removing the need for on-site antennas. This ensures the aesthetic of historic grounds remains uncompromised, while enabling operation without line of sight and even under tree cover. The result is greater flexibility in the areas that can be maintained, with fewer operational limitations.

That flexibility has proved invaluable across the estate.

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

“We’ve got a range of Kress robots now and they’re an integral part of our toolkit,” Andy explains. “We use them where they fit best and move them around the site depending on demand.”

On the main quad, the robots deliver consistent presentation throughout the week, while on sports surfaces, they have opened up new possibilities during difficult conditions.

“This winter was so wet we couldn’t get machinery onto some of the outfields,” he says. “But the Kress robots kept working. We’ve been able to bring cutting heights down gradually and get surfaces ready for play when we otherwise couldn’t.”

able improvements has been the consistency of cut and overall turf health. Because the machines operate continuously with sharp blades and follow structured mowing patterns, the finish is more uniform and the sward responds well.

“You get a much cleaner cut,” Andy says. “And because it’s cutting all the time, it helps with things like worm casts. It’s massively reduced the impact without any chemical control.”

For Andy and his team, the biggest benefit is not just time saved, but how that time is reinvested into other work.

“It gives us more flexibility,” he explains. “We can spend longer on the key areas like cricket pitches or first team surfaces, while the robots keep everything else in top condition.”

With pupils, staff and visitors on site seven days a week, presentation is a constant priority.

“The place has got to look its best every day,” Andy says.

For him, robotic mowing is now firmly embedded in how the site is managed.

“Without hesitation, I’d recommend Kress,” he adds. “You can walk around any site and see where a Kress robot would make a difference. It’s helped us raise standards everywhere.”

For more information, please visit https://www.kress.com/en-gb/

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

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

Mansfield Sand at the heart of Teeton’s arena

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

Raising standards at Haileybury with Kress robotic mowers

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