For a busy sporting estate in Northern Ireland, high performing, reliable equipment is a must, and good experiences with Kubota’s RTV utility vehicles have led to investment in one of the brand’s newest tractors.
Baronscourt Estate spans 5500 acres in Co Tyrone, with around 350 acres of managed grassland, let grazing and forestry. In addition to the private residence set in grounds and gardens there are a number of holiday cottages and conference facilities in the former stable yard.
Sporting interests include driven game Sika Deer stalking, salmon fishing on the nearby River Mourne and pike fishing across three lakes at the bottom of the Baronscourt valley.
“The RTV is well suited to our terrain,” explains Estate Manager Matt Stuart, “As there are many places that you just can’t access in a 4×4. The RTV’s size and relative speed, ease of access for frequent stopping and starting and a generous payload make it ideal for the jobs we need it to do, such as feeding the pheasants.”
He points out that the estate has historically used quad bikes, but the utility vehicle design offers a much safer option, and has the advantage of carrying two people in comfort, plus ample space for materials or equipment.
“We’re phasing out quads as the RTVs meet our health and safety requirements better.”
Working with Kubota dealer D A Forgie, the Estate has purchased a fleet of RTVs to carry out a variety of roles and now has four: petrol RTV 400 and RTV 500 models and the diesel RTV-X900 and powerful top-of-the-range RTV-X1100.
“The RTV-X1100 is used by our game department for feeding in remote sites, and also for transporting general rearing equipment such as fencing, pens and drinkers, as well as being invaluable for transport. The smaller models are very handy for carrying feeders.”
He points out that the region is renowned for its high rainfall and wet conditions, so the RTVs ‘go anywhere’ ability due to its unique VHT-X variable hydrostatic transmission and dynamic engine braking is a real bonus; independent wheel suspension not only boosts comfort but also increases safety by soaking up the impact of rough ground even when fully laden.
“They offer extra protection to the operators on demanding terrain and in tough conditions with their cabs and seat belts. We also have doors on the RTV-X1100, and this comes into its own on shoot days, where we can transport guns direct to their pegs where mobility might be an issue. It’s safer and much more pleasurable for them than climbing in and out of the shoot trailer.”
Good experiences with the RTVs put Kubota in the frame when the estate was looking to replace its existing compact tractor, he comments, and a first Kubota tractor recently joined the armoury at Baronscourt.
“D A Forgie suggested the L2452 and it’s the ideal workhorse tractor for the gardens and grounds, with a very good Kubota loader which is so useful to lift pallets of compos, firewood or other materials.”
The 45hp tractor’s rear linkage also has 1750kg lift capacity to easily handle a rear mounted mower to boost grass cutting capability, alongside a Kubota G23 ride-on which is used for everything from formal lawns to open spaces.
“The tractor driver is very impressed with his new tractor and we like to equip operators with the best machines for the job.”
Matt is full of praise for D A Forgie, who have offered excellent service and technical back up over the 10 years he has been in his role as Estate Manager. “Derek Hutchinson has always offered us sound advice on the best machines to choose, and has helped us acquire the ideal vehicles for our needs. I always say that if you have good equipment which is serviced well, you can’t go wrong, and Kubota ticks those boxes.”
