Tag Archive for: teams

Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group

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Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group: The team that supports the Wimbledon Championships’ world-famous lawn tennis courts has been appointed to oversee the development of the UK’s first greyhound racing track in a decade.

Based in Yorkshire but operating internationally, STRI Group specialises in the design construction and management of natural turf and artificial sports surfaces with more than 96 years’ experience.

Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group

Dunstall Park Teams Up With STRI Group

Its team still contributes to the management of Wimbledon’s grass courts, with other projects including the most recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2012 London Olympics.

Now, the group will help construct the UK’s newest greyhound racing track at Dunstall Park in Wolverhampton in partnership with Arena Racing Company.

The new track is being developed using the latest welfare driven evidence and sustainability practices ahead of a planned autumn launch. It will feature 75-metre straights, with a bend radius of 47-metres and width of 5.6 metres and sit inside the venue’s horse racing track in full view of its 25,000 capacity grandstand.

Dr Christian Spring, STRI Group Principal Scientist, joined in 2005 and has been working closely with the greyhound racing industry for seven years.

“Our understanding of greyhound racing tracks and how they can operate to the best of their ability on a consistent level has shifted significantly in recent years,” said Dr Spring.

“We factor in all aspects when striving to deliver the highest quality welfare driven racing surfaces, from weather patterns to bend widths and radius plus camber and the sand we use.

“Dunstall Park will deliver the blueprint for an optimal greyhound racing surface designed to host several weekly fixtures under the widest possible range of conditions.”

Once open, Dunstall Park will host four weekly fixtures and operate as one of five greyhound stadia under the management of Arena Racing Company – the UK’s largest racecourse operator.

As part of ARC’s existing partnership with STRI Group, Dunstall Park’s grounds team will work closely with Dr Spring and his team to ensure year-round best practice is applied using the latest evidence-driven track maintenance guidance.

The new track will also be capable of recycling 700,000 litres of water through a purpose-built attenuation tank which will capture disused water and rainfall to minimise the impact on the environment.

Dr Spring added: “Greyhound racing stadiums were typically built decades ago when weather patterns we experience were very different and more seasonal.

“We’re far more susceptible to prolonged periods of wet and dry weather, as this year has proven. It’s prompted everyone to consider how we source water when preparing tracks for racing so stadiums can be resilient to the weather.

“It might sound basic, but the attenuation tank has been designed using cutting-edge technology so water loss to evaporation and soil absorption is minimised and provides the grounds team with enough water to operate for days, enhancing the tracks water resilience.

“We’re turning a pipe dream into reality, and it’s an exciting project for the team to help deliver.”

An opening date for Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The track will host its first major competition on Friday, October 24, with the 93rd renewal of the £20,000 Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks. To celebrate the track’s first Category One final, free admission will be available to all racegoers.

Additional information will be released nearer the time.

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Toro Teams Up with Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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Toro Teams Up with Commonwealth War Graves Commission: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has recently upgraded its grounds maintenance equipment with the acquisition of a Toro® Z Master® 8000 Series direct collect ride-on mower, supplied by Mowers & More.

The latest development in a decades-long relationship between Toro and the CWGC, this addition is set to enhance the upkeep of the Brookwood Military Cemetery near Woking, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom, covering 37 acres.

Toro Teams Up with Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Toro Teams Up with Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Matthew Coleman, Sales Manager Professional Landscape Contractor & Site Works Equipment at Toro U.K., commented: “The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has chosen the Toro Z Master 8000 Series for its advanced features, which are well-suited to the maintenance needs of their cemeteries. The 37-acre grounds at Brookwood Military Cemetery are meticulously maintained by the CWGC’s grounds team, and this machine’s features will make their job simpler and quicker than ever.”

The Toro Z Master 8000 Series is designed to provide efficient and effective maintenance, ensuring the cemetery grounds remain in pristine condition. The mower delivers low ground pressure, minimising turf damage, while the outfront mower deck allows for precise cutting in tight spaces. A high-capacity hopper reduces the need for frequent emptying, while zero-turn manoeuvrability is perfect for the cemetery’s varied terrain.

Reinforcing the relationship between the two partners, Toro UK invited the CWGC to spend a day at their Spellbrook facility. The day provided an opportunity to experience Toro’s broad portfolio, learn more about Toro and Hayter’s groundscare innovation and share further feedback and information.

The CWGC’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of care for its cemeteries is evident in its choice of equipment. The Toro 8000 Series is designed to provide efficient and effective maintenance, ensuring that the grounds remain in pristine condition for visitors and to honour the memory of those who served.

For more information about the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and their work, visit www.cwgc.org. For details on the Toro Z Master 8000 Series and other products, visit www.toro.com/en-gb.

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EFL 2024/25 Grounds Teams of the Season revealed

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EFL 2024/25 Grounds Teams of the Season revealed: Watford, Bolton Wanderers and Accrington Stanley have been named 2024/25 Grounds Teams of the Season in the EFL.

Grounds Teams throughout the EFL work tirelessly to make sure pitch surfaces are of a high quality through all weather and conditions.

EFL 2024/25 Grounds Teams of the Season revealed

EFL 2024/25 Grounds Teams of the Season revealed

Read the full story here

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BIGGA teams up with The R&A

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BIGGA teams up with The R&A: The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association’s (BIGGA) Continue to Learn education programme, which takes place each January, has received the support of The R&A as part of its commitment to a sustainable future for golf and golf courses.

Held in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Continue to Learn runs alongside the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME), itself the leading trade show for golf course professionals in Europe. Continue to Learn provides more than 140 hours of learning opportunities for golf greenkeepers and groundspeople, making it among the most influential events in the golfing calendar.

BIGGA teams up with The R&A

BIGGA teams up with The R&A

The R&A is a long-time supporter of BIGGA and its members and in recent years has demonstrated its commitment to BTME and Continue to Learn by hosting presentations that offer guidance based on expert research and experience of staging major events. R&A representatives have been a mainstay on the Continue to Learn programme for many years, providing world-leading agronomic advice and hosting panel discussions in the context of historic championships held throughout the year. The Golf Course 2030 programme was launched at Continue to Learn in 2018 and research participants have returned each year to discuss their findings and proposals.

For the first time, in 2025 The R&A will be recognised as formally supporting the Continue to Learn Conference programme, which comprises of a major two-day learning event and a separate New Greenkeeper Conference. Additionally, R&A representatives will participate in various Classes and contribute towards cost-free learning opportunities such as the Seminars and the BTME Breakfast Session.

Next year (2025) will also mark the 20th anniversary of The R&A’s Greenkeeping Scholarship and events are anticipated to take place at BTME and Continue to Learn to mark the occasion. To date, over 500 greenkeepers from 30 countries have benefitted from this influential scholarship opportunity.

Jim Croxton, BIGGA CEO, said: “As a governing body for golf, representing over 61 million golfers in 145 countries, we’re proud The R&A has recognised the pivotal role greenkeepers play in the success of the sport through this commitment to supporting the Continue to Learn Conference programme and wider education opportunities provided by our annual gathering, BTME.

“Creating our annual programme of learning experiences and hosting it within the context of a massive trade show takes significant effort and we’re proud that for many years The R&A has recognised just how valuable BTME and Continue to Learn have become to the entire golfing industry. We thank everyone at The R&A for investing in our members and the wider turf management industry in this way as it will only enhance the BTME experience for everyone involved and help ensure the game is still thriving in 50 years’ time.”

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Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations

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Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations: The Welsh Rugby Union and Kubota dealer Hopkins Machinery Ltd have enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership, dating back to the 1960s when Cardiff Arms Park was still the home of Welsh rugby.

In 2005 the Newport-based dealership took on the Kubota franchise, and Kubota machinery has been an important part of the armoury ever since. Kubota tractors and RTVs fulfil various roles at Principality Stadium, home to international rugby tournaments including three World Cups and the Guinness Six Nations, which is set to thrill capacity crowds again this spring with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations

Kubota teams up for Guinness Six Nations

“Although we use pedestrian equipment on the pitch, Kubota tractors are essential workhorses for the Stadium,” explains Head Groundsman Lee Evans. “Our relationship with Hopkins Machinery is key – if ever we need parts, service or repairs or replacement machines, their support is second-to-none.”

Evan Hopkins concurs: “Having taken the decision to move into groundcare in 1995 and then taking on Kubota in 2005, Principality Stadium is an ideal sponsorship for us, with rugby being our national sport. It’s highly prestigious and gives us a fantastic hospitality opportunity.”

Paramount in the qualities of a tractor to be used in the Stadium is dependable reliability, and the 2016 Kubota STW 40 currently in use is a perfect example.

“It’s important that we can rely on the tractor to do a job and that it is straightforward enough for any of the three groundsmen to drive,” Lee points out. “It never lets us down.”

The tractor is fitted with a Kubota LA 454 ST front end loader, and tasks range from loading grass clippings from buggies on the pitch into a skip for collection by the local authority to pulling a harrow to maintain the artificial turf surrounding the pitch and positioning goalposts.

After a match, the STW 40 gets its moment in the spotlight, pulling lighting rigs onto the pitch

while the TV cameras are still rolling.

“The pitch is on a slight incline so the nine larger rigs, which weigh two tonnes, have to be towed on with the tractor. It’s labour intensive but a crucial job as the roof makes this the darkest stadium in Europe and the light helps the turf recover quickly,” he explains.

Stadium manoeuvres are also the role of another Kubota machine, with the RTV utility vehicle used to transport Terraplas sheets used to cover the pitch for concerts.

“We don’t need the RTV all the time, so it’s a great feature of the sponsorship that Hopkins Machinery can provide one on a short term hire for jobs like this,” comments Lee.

Hopkins Machinery has a dedicated hire fleet of more than 80 RTVs, used for everything from festivals and sporting events to winter maintenance contracts, so is well equipped to be able to help out.

“With a prestigious venue like this, we’re reliant on partnerships to help us deliver high standards in a busy programme, and we really value working with Kubota and Hopkins Machinery,” he concludes.

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