Equestrian In addition to the pitches themselves,
there are large ‘stick and ball’ areas where players can warm up their ponies, and practice and hone their skills, which have been developed and improved by Mike. “The area next to Ground Four was like a jungle, so we had to cut it with a pasture topper to start with and keep collecting with the Amazone,” he recalls. The Major roller mower replaced a set of Ransomes gangs, and Mike laments their passing. “The finish from gang mowers is second to none, but the repairs are so expensive, especially when you hit something like a horseshoe, which is quite common! The Major rep actually demonstrated the durability of the roller mower by throwing a horseshoe in front of it, and it chewed it up and spat it out.” However, the Major mower is up for
replacement after ten years’ service and Mike is now shopping around. “I will have every contender here and test them before making a decision,” he says. An Irrifrance reel feeds a raingun to water
Grounds Five and Six in three runs each; the irrigation lagoon is filled from a borehole via a diesel powered pump although, once the dry weather arrives, the borehole pressure drops and there is only sufficient for one pitch. Verti-draining helps to ease the firm
ground, and is currently carried out at the start of the season, halfway through and at the end, although Mike says that more often
NEW FOR 2015
Spoil next to the lagoon is in the process of being landscaped
would be ideal. Pitches are also hollow cored to relieve compaction and encourage grass tillering. Wet weather is as much of a challenge as
dry conditions, and a rainy tournament can see the pitch repair gangs called in - at a cost of £4,500 - to fill holes and replace divots. In better weather, Mike and his assistant
fill the divots themselves, using a 50/50 sand/soil mix, which encourages grass
growth better than straight sand, he suggests. “The roller mower is one of the best tools
for repairing a pitch as it puts the divots back. If you can get them back in quickly, the turf will recover rather than die. However, you do need time - it can be tricky repairing a pitch after a 6.00pm fixture when there is another one at 10.00am the next day!” He adds: “The two tractors, a 100hp John
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PC0815. Wessex International is a trading name of Wessex International Machinery. Follow us on: PC AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015 I 125
When only the best will do...
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