Equestrian
“The horses hooves need to go in slightly to get a good grip, but without jar to their joints. There is no set standard as yet - it’s all down to feel”
whilst dry conditions had blighted the 2007 event, the summer that followed was notably wet. “We were dealing with the effects of
drought initially, but we also needed to prepare for wet weather,” he says. Hugh agrees: “Running an event in early May, you expect it to rain, and most years it does and we cope with it.” A Wright Rain hose and raingun
irrigator was purchased. “We don’t have access to a lot of water, but at least we can ‘tweak’ the going in the run up to the event, if it needs it, and stimulate grass growth,” Phil comments. Land drainage was also installed by a local contractor on the lower part of the course, with drains located either side of the track. Improving the footing was relatively straightforward, and involved spreading large quantities of 2mm sports sand,
which is ninety percent silica. In dry areas, such as close to Badminton village and around the ‘quarry’ feature fence, 12mm grade green waste compost was also added to improve soil structure. Topdressing has continued to be an important part of the preparations ever since. “We like compost to be well-rotted and will also mature it further in the yard where possible,” comments Phil, “Sand holds water and nutrients to a degree and helps create ‘spring’ in the surface.” Phil then overseeded to improve the sward itself, using 25g/m2
of a
predominantly rye grass mix designed for winter sports pitches or racecourse use. This has since been replaced with an 80/20 rye/fescue mix for shaded areas such as woodland, and the course is overseeded after each year’s event as required.
“Because of the sheer scale of the job we use middle to top end varieties from Limagrain, and choose three different mixes in case one fails.”
A 2.4m wide BLEC disc overseeder is used in two or three directions in the arena and in a staggered pattern on the course, which is just 10m wide in places. Fertiliser is usually applied in two doses, starting in mid-March, at 75kg/acre with a 10:15:20 blend used first, followed by 21:8:11, although the cold spring of 2013 has meant just the one application at slightly higher rates. “I was lucky enough to get the timing just right - two days later it rained!” says Phil.
Herbicide is normally applied in the spring, although if conditions dictate it can be used in July instead. Disease management is minimal, with fungal diseases such as red thread best tackled
JUNE/JULY 2013 PC 111
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