Equestrian
“
Water is held in the profile for longer after using the wetting agent, so we can go three or four days without watering if there is any rain
The Great Yarmouth grounds team left to right: Head Groundsman Richard Bradley, Groundsmen James Marks and Trevor Clark, Maintenance Specialist Tony Carter and Clerk of the Course Richard Aldous
A new Briggs 25m boom can now water the full width of the back straight, rather than the part width covered by the old tow line system, and takes eighteen pulls to complete the track. “We can start at 5.00am and still be
watering at 10.00pm in the height of summer,” he comments. “Watering right across the back has changed the running line slightly and made the surface more even. We also rail off for some meetings to save ground.” Wetting agents are used in the summer
months to reduce the volumes of water needed on the free draining sandy loams. “Water is held in the profile for longer
after using the wetting agent, so we can go three or four days without watering if there is any rain.” The dry conditions don’t offer the benefit
The sward in the Mile Straight, some meadow grass persisting among the newly sown ryegrass
“ 84 I PC APRIL/MAY 2017
of reducing mowing requirements, however, Richard Bradley points out. “We still have to mow three times a week in the season.”
He has recently swapped from a tractor
mounted Votex and blower to a Toro ride-on batwing mower and explains: “We wanted to minimise the weight on the course and have found that, rather than taking more time to cut the track, the Toro is actually a bit quicker. It also releases a tractor for other jobs, including pulling the new 25m Briggs boom that would not have been possible if it had to also be a mowing tractor.” He adds that he is always keen to try new
innovations in machinery and materials, and is fortunate that the salesman for local dealer Ernest Doe is a former groundsman at Great Yarmouth, providing plenty of opportunity to try new kit. “There’s always a dilemma between
sticking with what you know and trying out new ideas,” reflects Richard Aldous. “We chose MM60 for the new turf, but wondered if we’d have been better sticking with the Barenbrug mixture that we know works well. However, we’re still looking at options - some
We have a long summer season and it can be tiring at its peak from May to August. At that time, you think that a couple of extras would be handy, but you manage with what you have
The parade ring
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148
