One of the country’s leading small jump racecourses has explained how a pair of Kubota tractors are pivotal to preparations for a packed meet season. Sam Linley, Head Groundsman of Stratford Racecourse relies on the versatility delivered by their M6060 with front loader and M4062 on turf tyres to conduct the majority of maintenance operations, with the additional services of two ride-on mowers from Kubota’s G-Series.
After unprecedented rainfall and the venues proximity to the River Avon saw a tricky start to the 2024 season, things were swiftly back on track for a schedule of 16 fixtures hosted between mid-March and October. However, even with the challenging ground conditions, maintenance didn’t grind to a halt for Sam – who has been at the venue for six years – and his team of four. “Our tractors from Kubota’s M-Series are a good size and, importantly, lightweight which meant we were still able to get out with mowers and various implements” explains Sam.
The M4062 equipped with turf tyres was purchased in 2021 and was later joined by the M6060 with front-end loader in mid-2022. “We’re not the biggest of sites in terms of track width and total ground and these tractors are a great size for us – big enough to cover large areas but small enough to manoeuvre in and around the tight track surrounds.” He adds, “They both do a bit of everything and are incredibly adaptable. The M6060 especially is a real workhorse, assisting in construction works and moving deliveries with the pallet forks alongside the regular ‘tractor duties’”.
“Another thing we like is that fact that the operator platform is very user friendly. We get a lot of occasional help, and both of the tractors are pretty intuitive for someone to get in and get straight on.”
Running alongside the tractors are G26-II and G2120 ride-on mowers, both purchased from local Kubota dealer’s Hunts Engineering. “These are used on the lawned areas and, though not our primary method, we do use them on the track in and around fences where we can cut and collect with the G26-II to leave a clean finish. These, too, are lightweight which is great to use around the obstacles and on landing areas where we need to be mindful of compaction.”
“Another reason we like Kubota is the brilliant support we get from Hunts Engineering, in particular Geoff Deane” Sam adds. “We have always turned to them for servicing and genuine parts, which definitely keeps everything running as it should. It’s fantastic reassurance for us to have them nearby for help and advice, and ensure we always get the very best performance from our equipment throughout the season.”
