Public Places
Rockingham Castle has proved popular ... “
... with eventers and visitors alike
We need to be able to carry loads and have access to shelter when out and about. If the heavens open and I’m out at the furthest corner of the site, it’s nice to have the option of a cab and some cover
a result of quad bike accidents, so, across the industry, questions have been raised over their safety and whether we should really be using them anymore at all, certainly for the tasks we demand of them.” “Coupled with the safety aspects, there’s also a degree of impracticality with quad bikes. We need to be able to carry loads and have access to shelter when out and about. If the heavens open and I’m out at the furthest corner of the site, it’s nice to have the option of a cab and some cover,” he explains. Ultimately, the winning factor for Brian, and the reason why he opted for Kubota’s vehicle and not one of the other trialed machines, was because of the robustness of their utility range. “The risk of tipping is a very real one and, in many instances, the utility vehicle is the only kit at our disposal for certain terrains, so we need to be able to push it to its limits in rain, snow, wind and ice, without the fear of slipping and sliding. Hydrostatic transmission is a vital component
for any utility vehicle; it must be able to stop on command to avoid the risk of losing control.” In addition to the lone RTV900 that is a permanent fixture on site, Rockingham also loaned three additional models from Euromec for the duration of the event to ferry organisers around and assist with the setting up and dressing down of the arena, dramatically reducing the time taken by staff to tackle it manually or with a more cumbersome 4x4. Whilst the Brigstock Horse Trials is now
Rockingham Castle - continually occupied for a thousand years 90 I PC AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014
the grandstand event in the Rockingham Castle calendar, the venue plays host to many events throughout the year; the Kennel Club’s International Agility Festival, “The Suffering”, and a Rolls Royce owners event which draws visitors from across the globe to showcase their prized motors - being two of the biggest draws. Aside from such events, which occupies much of the castle staff’s time and efforts in organisation and logistics, the castle itself continues to be a highly popular tourist attraction, with swelling visitor numbers peaking at 28,000 in 2013; the highest the castle has reached in over a decade. The site is also complemented by numerous corporate extras, including the Experience Land Rover Discovery course, which has been used a number of times to put utility vehicles and quad bikes through their paces, as well as for its primary purpose of trialing new Land Rover models. Perhaps the two biggest challenges for Brian and his team are forestry management and staying on top of pest control and wildlife maintenance, of which there is much to contend with. The castle’s owner, James Saunders Watson, has a keen interest in trees and has embarked on his own quest, over a number of years, to plant a mix of traditional species on site, including larch, evergreens and beech - the latter being one of the most problematic species to manage. Since 2000, 8,000 saplings have been planted in, including the establishment of
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