The Rainmakers
The Pröhl company makes sure the turf at the Iffezheim Racecourse is kept crisp and green even during hot summers.
There is a long tradition of horse racing at the Iffezheim race-track in Baden-Baden, Germany with the first starting shot being fired back in 1858. Last year the operator refurbished the somewhat antiquated facility, which involved an investment of approximately EUR 1.2 million (USD 1.4 million). Part of this money was spent on installing a sprinkler irrigation system. The system was planned and installed by Volker Pröhl GmbH, a well-established company based in Umkirch near Freiburg im Breisgau. Before installation could begin, the experts from Pröhl had to carefully dig trenches for the cables. Special state-of-the-art machines were used to minimise damage to the turf. A total of 10 kilometres (19 miles) of type NYY underground cable from HELUKABEL now connects nearly 200 sprinklers. The cable serves as both power and control cable. A variety of sprinkler programs for different weather situations can be configured via the system’s control unit. Two deep wells capable of supplying 180 cubic metres (47,550 gallons) of water per hour were installed for spraying the racecourse during summer dry periods. The optimal race surface is soft turf because it is easier on the joints of the valuable race-horses and a prerequisite to ensuring they can race safely.
