Bristol City Training Ground Proves Winner for Dakota
BRISTOL City Football Club’s training ground at Failand has achieved outstanding pitch results – largely due to the Dakota 410 top dresser from Campey Turf Care Systems.
The complex is a joint venture with the Bristol Queen Elizabeth Hospital School and spans 40 acres with over a dozen top quality football pitches and additional sports facilities for rugby, hockey and cricket for players and pupils.
The Bristol City players use the facilities to train throughout the week and play at the Ashton Gate Stadium at the weekends.
It is Grounds Manager Craig Richardson’s job to maintain the pitches at the highest level for both Bristol City FC and the school – and top dressing is an essential part of that process.
Craig, who was highly commended for the main Stadium pitch in the IOG awards 2 years ago, likes to spread sand on the training pitches regularly – every six to eight weeks. He does this with the Dakota 410. A good training ground is worth 10 or 12 points in a season.”
Bristol City FC has been hiring a Dakota Top Dresser for some years from local machinery dealer H. Curtis & Sons and has now gone on to purchase its own machine. Craig wanted his own machine to give him the flexibility to use it whenever and wherever.
“I have a lot of pitches to treat and the towed Dakota is easily moved from pitch to pitch. It is also very simple to maintain so it made sense to have our own on site,” he says. “The Dakota 410 is fast and very easy to calibrate.” explains Craig “Once set I don’t have to alter it again. I can apply a very light dressing of sand without interrupting play for more than a day.” The wide, accurate spread pattern also allows him to treat large areas quickly.
The Dakota 410 features Ultra-Trac turf tyres, an A-Frame hitch with adjustable height and dual spinner discharge system.
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