EQUESTRIAN
A black high density foam is used in place of birch to form the hurdle
One jump ahead
Exeter has pioneered the use of padded hurdles, designed to reduce the risk of horse injuries and, after two seasons’ successful use, Barry has also introduced them at Wincanton.
The design uses a frame similar to a traditional wooden and birch hurdle, but replaces the birch with a high density foam pad.
“They are lighter, so are much easier for the groundstaff to handle and manoeuvre and the design resists damage,” explains Barry. “If a horse hits the top rail of a traditional hurdle it tends to break off and the remaining structure can cause injuries to following horses. We would typically have twenty-five broken hurdles at the end of each raceday; now it is five or six.”
If the hurdle is hit, the pad tends to spread the shock and it is less likely to fall over, further increasing safety for horses at the back of the field.
The black pad has a slightly different appearance to the birch but Barry comments that while horses may ‘step’ at the hurdle initially, they soon get used to it.
“We buy twenty new pads a year, and we are now making worn pads available to trainers for building practice fences at their own yards so they can train over them before coming to the racecourse.”
Investment in the costly new hurdles was carefully planned - reusing old hurdles in the year before purchase saved some of the £5,000 annual budget, which was added to that year’s sum, while the Jockey Club funded a further £12,000.
“In addition to improving safety, we are seeing cost savings,” explains Barry. “We now have a quarter of the repairs to do after each raceday - it could take two men a week to repair the hurdles, now it can be completed in a day.”
114 PC December/January 2019
Steeplechase fences are now on the outside of the track, enabling hurdles to be moved across two-thirds of its width
bowser, but it would have taken a lot of water to cover all 35 acres.” After the final meeting of the season in
May, attention turns to renovation, with the first job being to renew six of the eleven chase fences each year. “A percentage of the birch is sourced from local National Trust land which is managed for ground nesting birds,” explains Martin. “We cut and collect it, rather than having to purchase from outside sources.” Cleaning the miles and miles of Gilling rail is another task, whilst the summer of 2018 also saw the team install new woodchip canter downs with a further three furlongs to be added in 2019. “We’ll have any drainage work done at this time, and a 2019 project is to get contractors in to re-rubberise the parade ring surface,” he comments.
Maintaining grassed areas and spreading fertiliser - sourced from a local agricultural merchant - continues through the summer, whilst there are also staff holidays to fit in. Mowing is carried out with a 5m
Progressive tri-deck mower, which can take eight hours for the full course. Infield areas, both grassed and heathland, also have to be taken care of. “Through Jockey Club Racecourses agreement with John Deere, we have a 6090MC tractor which is used for the mower and a 5080R fitted with a loader, plus a 1445 WAM and X950R ride-on for mowing around fences and in public areas,” comments Martin. “The tractors are on a lease which means we can renew them every five years and keep the fleet up to date.” A new purchase for this year is a Verti- Drain 7521 decompactor. “We’ve previously hired a machine in but this gives us more flexibility - we will Verti- Drain the whole course at the beginning and end of the season, and can treat specific areas as needed. We also have a slitter, but I prefer to Verti-Drain as it is more effective.” Overseeding is a vital part of the repair process, and Barenbrug has supplied a perennial ryegrass mix of 30% Barcristalla, 20% Bareuro, 30% Barlibro and 20%
Barry Johnson in front of a fully built hurdle fence
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