A great for our contracting business

Earlier this month we caught up with Malcolm Holland and Jack Talbot of Grange Bank Farm Agricultural and Equine Contracting, based between Newport and Shrewsbury. They recently purchased a New Holland T6.180 Dynamic Command tractor with MX Loader and a Kuhn 16.14 Bale wrapper from Rea Valley Tractors, and are just waiting on delivery of a New Holland Boomer 50 Compact Tractor with MX Loader.

We spoke to them both about their plans for the tractors and machinery, and why they chose to buy from Rea Valley Tractors.

When Malcolm and Jack first visited our Shrewsbury depot, they had a good idea of what they wanted. They knew they wanted to buy new, and that it needed enough horsepower for the range of services they offer, but without being too big that it wouldn’t suit some of their equestrian contracting requirements. Our Territory Sales Manager Tom Morgan was on hand to assist, and it is Tom they have dealt with since.

Here’s what they had to say.

About Grange Bank Farm

“We have 10 horses here currently and we breed Welsh ponies and Irish Sports Horses. We also have pedigree sheep including some Zwartbles, Ryelands and some Black Nose Valais. We are looking to double the pedigree Zwartbles herd over the next few months. We make our own hay each year and have enough to sell before the winter too. Our main business though is contracting. We are relatively small as contractors come, but we pride ourselves on the professional service we deliver, which can be anything from paddock sweeping, to flailing, to paddock seeding, baling round and square bales and wrapping. We also supply stables and shelters, as well as erect and install them.

What made New Holland stand out for you?

“After spending some time researching, we had a fair idea of the size and spec we were looking for. We needed something that would be versatile for both the agricultural work and the equine work, but also be comfortable for working all day long in. Our next tractor needed manoeuvrability and to be suitable for narrow roads. We were looking for a transmission system that works for the topping, mowing and baling work too. These aspects were important to ensure we are being productive and efficient.

We previously had a John Deere and wanted to replace it with a comparable tractor. New Holland have a reputation for reliability and get high marks on the comfort level of their tractors, which is always a hit when you are contracting. The cost of ownership was kept to a minimum with a great warranty, along with RVT’s personalised maintenance package.”

Why choose Rea Valley Tractors?

“With the Shrewsbury branch on our doorstep, and after deciding that New Holland ticked all our boxes, we headed over to Rea Valley Tractors to see what was in stock and the options available. Tom and the team were very helpful and gave us an in-depth run-through of the range - he understood straight away what we were going to need. We arranged a demo of the wrapper, and when it arrived, Tom stayed with us until midnight that night to ensure a smooth handover. Nothing was too much trouble. That’s the type of customer service you want. It was also a bonus that the T6.180 was in stock and reassuring that the prior delivery inspection meant that it was good to go as soon as it arrived with us.”

How does the New Holland T6.180 perform?

It’s a great tractor. It’s handy for all our farm work but also for the contracting business allowing us to undertake the varied work called for on a day-to-day basis on the farm such as mowing, raking, tedding, round and square baling, bale wrapping, silage work etc. The T6.180 is one of the most versatile tractors out there. It’s been designed by New Holland for the flexible farmer and that’s exactly what it does. It also has great visibility, which of course improves the safety of what we do.

For the Equine Contracting we felt we needed something a little smaller which suited the smaller equestrian paddocks and that we can put the high-performance paddock flail mower/scarifier collector where access can sometimes be tricky, particularly if the paddocks are all divided up into segments. We therefore purchased the New Holland Boomer 50 Compact Tractor with MX Loader which is going to be another useful tractor for us. By having a second loader tractor it is ideal for bale work for our own horses and sheep whilst the T6.180 is out contracting. The Boomer 50 has 1250kg rear lifting capacity, which is ideal for pulling a tip trailer. A great small tractor for all our own and contracting equestrian work whilst at the same time big enough for our grass equipment plus the round and square bale wrapper.

What are you plans for your business going forward?

We are currently growing the contracting side of our business and we will soon have our ISO certification. We want to become the ‘go to’ contractors for equestrians in the area, helping with paddock maintenance, post and rail fencing, general upkeep and repairs, and autumn clean-up of leaves, acorns and sycamore seeds which are poisonous for horses. We also supply and install a range of shelters and stables. We are horse people, so we fully understand the needs of equestrians and are committed to building relationships with livery yards, race yards and local studs. We are focused on fulfilling our customers’ needs to the best of our ability and continually invest in our business with this at the forefront of our minds.

Business Focus

Grange Bank Farm Agricultural & Equine Contracting Grange Bank Farm

Overley

Telford

TF6 5HD

FARMED AREA 25 acres

STAFF Malcolm Holland (owner), Renee Holland, Jack Talbot and Eddie Vatra

BUSINESS Horse stud, flock of 25 sheep but their main business is agricultural and equestrian contracting.

We can arrange a hand over installation appointment at your farm, showing you everything you need to know about your new tractor, whether that may be setting up your auto guidance system or talking you through the most up to date features to help you use your equipment to the best of its ability.

CONTACT malcolm@grangebankfarm.com jack@grangebankfarm.com or telephone on 01952 741301