A top independent school specialising in rugby and cricket has invested in its first piece of Toro kit following a competitive demonstration with a number of leading turf machinery manufacturers.

Taunton School in Somerset has snapped up a Toro Reelmaster 3100-D to help its team of six groundsmen maintain over one-fifth of the school’s 30-acre grounds. Head groundsman Mark Jolliffe revealed that Toro was the obvious choice after the demo, with all his staff giving it the seal of approval.

“We all tested the mower and the choice was unanimous,” he reveals. “We were impressed with the quality of cut, ease of adjustment, maintenance access and the fact that it had that little bit more finesse than the other machines we saw. I had complete backing from the school bursar, which also allowed for a smooth sale.”

Head groundsman Mark Jolliffe in the grounds of
Taunton School on his Reelmaster 3100-D.

Mark had used Toro in his previous employment, meaning he was up-to-speed with the benefits of working with its machinery. “We really like that the 3100-D’s engine is to the rear for maximum visibility and low noise output when mowing. Having used Toro before, I knew the durability and reliability would be excellent.”

The school plays host to numerous events throughout the year, including sports days for the 1,100 children aged between two and 18 in attendance. Rugby and cricket are Taunton’s main sports, and Mark says he will use his new mower to make sure these playing surfaces are maintained to the highest standards.

“We’ll be using the Reelmaster to keep the cricket outfield to a half-inch cut in summer, while in the winter we’ll be using it to keep the rugby pitches and amenity lawns trim. We’ve invested in the mower at the perfect time as the school has a lot of upcoming events this year that will require the grounds to be in tip-top condition.”

For more information on Toro machinery, call distributor Lely UK on 01480 226800, email toro.info.uk@lely.com or visit www.toro.com.