Tag Archive for: Wins

Kubota tractor wins at top equestrian venue

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Kubota tractor wins at top equestrian venue: Equestrian sport is quite literally riding high in Britain – with Team GB winning medals in dressage, showjumping and eventing at the Tokyo Olympics, the passion for horses has never been greater.

Specialist riding arena surfaces have transformed the possibilities for venues wishing to offer training and competition opportunities all-year round, but require regular, skilled maintenance. A leading venue in Leicestershire has invested in a Kubota L-1382 compact tractor to help them achieve this.

Kubota tractor wins at top equestrian venue

Kubota tractor wins at top equestrian venue

Vale View Equestrian offers extensive facilities for all three disciplines: a state-of-the-art all-weather cross-country arena which replicates the terrain and obstacle challenges of a grass course plus its adjacent practice arenas span 2.5 acres. Then there are 66x26m and 70x30m indoor arenas ideal for show jumping and dressage, plus two other large outdoor arenas and a new lunge pen.

“The surfaces have to be harrowed every day, in preparation for events and during them,” explains Julie Hyslop, who founded Vale View Equestrian with husband Mark and daughter Emma Hyslop-Webb. “We have used a quad bike in the past but it lacked the power needed and became unreliable. The special sand mixture contains wax, which makes it difficult to pull through, but we are renowned by the leading riders for the quality of our surfaces, so we have to be able to harrow and level effectively.”

Local Kubota dealer Farmstar had previously supplied an F Series front mower which is used to cut grass areas around the site, so Mark approached the company to source a tractor.

“We were originally interested in a smaller tractor, but Farmstar suggested the 38hp L-1382 and it was the right choice to give enough power to pull the harrow,” he explains. “Yet it is very manoeuvrable with its hydrostatic transmission and power steering – we can even harrow around the jumps during a break in the showjumping competitions to ensure that we are offering the ideal footing to every competitor.”

The tractor is driven by a several members of staff including Olivia Toone and Fran Segalov who have a varied roles in the business, and two part-time groundsmen who set up the arenas with jumps or dressage markers.

“It’s a big plus that the tractor is so straightforward that anyone can drive it,” comments Mark. “Access for daily checks is also very quick and logical.”

While the L-1382 is kept busy with the harrow much of the time, it has also been deployed to move trailers carrying showjumps and portable cross country fences. Emma says that it will be used for a wider range of tasks in the equestrian centre’s grazing paddocks in the future.

“It will be really useful for topping up water troughs, manure clearance and maintenance of fencing in the future.”

“It’s the perfect equestrian tractor in our opinion,” she says.

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Cricket club wins Toro Greensmaster 800

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Cricket club wins Toro Greensmaster 800: Westgate-on-Sea Cricket Club is the lucky winner of a Toro Greensmaster 800 pedestrian mower after entering distributor Reesink Turfcare’s competition at SALTEX. 

Raif Kelly, who has been at the club for 35 years having worn many hats along the way from president to secretary to community manager and finally, as head groundsman, is “incredibly pleased” with the result from the prize draw and can’t wait to put the Greensmaster 800 to work.

Cricket club wins Toro Greensmaster 800

Cricket club wins Toro Greensmaster 800

Overseeing three groundskeeping teams that work diligently on the square every weekend, Raif explains: “The Greensmaster 800 will come very in handy to cut the cricket strips to the standards to which we have accustomed our members. This is our first Toro machine so we’re very excited to try it and see what it can do.

“We make sure the square is always in good condition. A lot of work goes into it over the year, starting in May and finishing in September, at which point we put it to bed during the winter. There’s only two months in the whole year where we don’t do any work so the Toro mower will be put to a lot of good use!”

The Greensmaster 800 is built upon Toro’s legendary reputation of the Greensmaster 1000, with a cutting width range of 18 inches, heavy-duty 4.3hp Subaru Industrial engine, narrow mowing swath for narrow striping and a standard 14-blade cylinder. This walk-behind mower excels on the cricket square, providing a superior precision of cut and straight-line tracking for the perfect finish.

Raif continues: “We welcome this new greensmower and the technology it brings, it’s a great opportunity to try new things and new techniques and see where that takes us.”

Reesink’s South East branch will be delivering the machine to the club and branch manager Jon Cole says of the win: “Congratulations to the team at Westgate-On-Sea Cricket Club. We hope the Toro Greensmaster will help maintain your pitch to the highest level for this season and many more to come.”

To talk to someone about Toro technology and how the Toro range would suit your course, call 01480 226800.

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Newquay GC wins Operation Pollinator Award

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Newquay GC wins Operation Pollinator Award: Congratulations to Dan Kendle, Head Greenkeeper at Newquay Golf Club, for his success in winning this year’s Syngenta Operation Pollinator Award – presented at the Golf Environment Awards during BTME 2022.

Situated right on the rugged north Cornish coast and running behind the entire length of the surfing mecca, Fistral Beach, the course provides an amazing links golf experience, along with providing an immense ecological resource.

Newquay GC wins Operation Pollinator Award

Newquay GC wins Operation Pollinator Award

Over the past few years, Dan and the team at Newquay have been working hard to refine the long ecological rough areas. “It’s already paying huge dividends, with an increase in wildflower populations in areas which were cut and scarified, including yellow rattle, kidney vetch, birds-foot trefoil and pyramidal orchids,” he reported.

At the same time, he signed the Club up to Syngenta’s Operation Pollinator. “As part of that we over-seeded an area outside our maintenance building with a coastal mix of wildflowers.

“It’s created a lot of positive feedback from both club members and also members of the public. The area has been alive with insects, including several species of bumblebee, including red tailed and garden bumblebees.”

Elsewhere on the course bunkers are used by solitary bees, with sandpit mining bees and sandpit blood bees both having been recorded.

Commenting on his success in Operation Pollinator Awards, Dan said: “to find out we had won the award was amazing.

“It’s a great achievement for us and I want to thank all the team for their hard work they have put in to helping contribute to the award. Along with the members and committee of Newquay Golf Club for their continued support in everything we do.”

Syngenta Technical Manager, Sean Loakes, added: “Dan has really embodied the spirit of Operation Pollinator in continuing to manage the golf course for the benefit of the Club’s members, while at the same time managing the out of play areas and particularly the ecological rough for the benefit of pollinators and the vast biodiversity.”

Golf clubs can sign up to join Operation Pollinator and receive a wealth of resources and advice on ecological management from the Syngenta website: www.syngentaturf.co.uk/operation-pollinator

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JMG Amenity wins top spraying award

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JMG Amenity wins top spraying award: Jason Garlick of JMG Amenity has won the prestigious overall title of Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year (ASOY). The Award was presented by TV personality Naga Munchetty and Amenity Forum Chairman, Professor John Moverley, at a BTME ceremony in Harrogate last week (22 March).  

The Leicestershire-based JMG Amenity provides turf care and weed solutions across the east midlands and had previously won the ASOY category for sports turf application.

JMG Amenity wins top spraying award

JMG Amenity wins top spraying award

“Winning Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year is a testament to the commitment and professionalism of all the team involved,” said Jason.

“Protecting the environment, our operators, customers and the public is the highest priority for our business,” he emphasised. “That is why we place strong emphasis on maintaining the highest possible standards and use only the most up to date equipment.

“It ensures minimal impact on the environment and assures the desired high levels of customer satisfaction.”

Quality is paramount at JMG Amenity. All personnel are fully trained and qualified in the correct handling and application of chemicals with all the equipment used.

The business offers agronomy and application services for public and private sector, including golf and all sports venues, leisure facilities, local government, utilities, schools, universities, industrial areas, forestry and other areas requiring vegetation management.

Winners of the ASOY category for Landscape & Industrial applications and overall runners-up in the industry-leading awards were Bournemouth-based Southern Horticulture, with the prize accepted by director, Tony Robinson.

The business specialises provides integrated solutions to invasive weed control and grounds maintenance for a wide range of customers. Protecting the ecology of landscapes during a treatment programme is an important element, advocates Tony.

“In most instances we can actually positively enhance the ecological value of a landscape, whilst still fully completing the original control objectives of customers.

“Winning an ASOY award for the second consecutive year highlights our continual commitment to operating in a safe and sustainable way, for the business, the environment and our customers,” he added.

Sothern Horticulture is also an approved instructor and assessor for LANTRA training for land-based industries.

The Amenity Sprayer of the Year awards are organised by the Amenity Forum, sponsored by ICL and Syngenta and supported by BASIS.

It recognises and rewards top sprayer operators across the amenity industry. It aims to raise standards, by identifying the best practice of individuals to enhance results – and share their experiences across the industry.

The ASOY awards now reflect the importance of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to any issue involving turf and landscape maintenance. “Knowing when not to spray is in many ways as important as the techniques to actually make an application,” advised Syngenta Technical Manager, Sean Loakes.

“The skills of sprayer operators to make efficient, effective and above all safe applications is essential for the future sustainability of the amenity and turf care industry. ASOY awards are a welcome way to recognise and reward the leading individuals and to learn from their experience.”

ICL Landscape & Industrial Manager, Barry Browne, added: “We are delighted to support such an important cross-sector industry initiative with a continued commitment to raise standards and improve results.

“Importantly it has identified and recognised the range of spray application techniques and the differing skills involved across the amenity sector. It will provide a unique and vitally important resource for all involved in spray application.”

Entries for ASOY 2022 will open soon. Look out on the Amenity Forum website for more details and entry form for your chance to win.

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Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower

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Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower: When Jack Fairhead heard he’d won a brand new John Deere X127 ride-on mower worth £3500, he couldn’t believe his luck.

With approximately half an acre of garden and lawns to maintain, Jack had previously relied on neighbours to help cut the grass and was considering what type of ride-on mower he could buy when he entered the John Deere competition in the spring.

Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower

Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower

“I’ve never won anything before, and now I’ve got one of the best mowers on the market,” said Jack. “I’m going to enjoy many seasons of mowing with my new John Deere.”

Jack will now be mowing his lawn in comfort. His John Deere X127 ride-on mower features cruise control as well as a hydrostatic transmission and side-by-side pedals which enable the operator to change direction without raising a foot. The car style dashboard also makes the mower very straightforward to operate.

The mower has been delivered by Shropshire based John Deere dealership Rea Valley Tractors. Dan Brown, RVT Gardening & Groundcare Territory Sales and Paul Roberts, RVT Workshop Manager at RVT Newport depot carried out a professional handover, showing Jack how to gain the optimum use out of the mower for his lawn. Paul also explained how the RVT service team is available to support the lawn mower for any maintenance and servicing requirements.

John Deere Territory Manager Marcus Morris added: “Mr Fairhead is clearly delighted at taking delivery of his new lawn tractor. We’re very pleased that our competition has found such a worthy winner.”

The competition involved visiting the John Deere website www.deere.co.uk and correctly answering questions about the X127 lawn tractor.

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