Leading footing and arena company Premier Equestrian has added the Premier Pro Groomer, a revolutionary new groomer that comes in several different sizes to suit any footing type, hauling machinery, or riding discipline to its lineup of world class equestrian products (Photo courtesy JRPR- no photo credit necessary)
Sandy, UT (October 9, 2017) – Premier Equestrian, the Official Footing Supplier of US Equestrian, has long been respected for paving the way in arena footing by offering high-quality, affordable footing additives that promote optimum performance and safety. As an expert in the field, Heidi Zorn, President of Premier Equestrian, realized that even with excellent footing, there was still something many equestrians were lacking for their arenas. “We saw a need in the marketplace for a different kind of groomer than what was currently available to riders,” said Zorn. “People needed the ability to really mix their footing as well as maintain their footing.” So Premier Equestrian partnered with an engineer to develop a groomer that is unlike any the equestrian market has seen before.
The Premier Pro Groomer, already in high demand by riders of various disciplines, is simple to use and combines multiple tools into one piece of equipment. The groomer features a swivel three-point hitch, front and rear rollers, two rows of S-tines, two rows of coil tines, and a smoothing blade. The groomer is perfect for finishing and fluffing an arena, compacting the surface, or safely digging down to the base to thoroughly remix the footing. The Premier Pro Groomer is available in six-foot, seven-foot, or eight-foot widths. The company also offers the Mini Pro Groomer, which boasts the same features as the larger model but is available in five-foot width or six-foot widths. “You don’t need a large tractor to pull the Mini Pro – it can be pulled with a Gator or a Kubota,” said Zorn. “It’s all the same functions without needing the big equipment!”
Zorn explained, “What makes the Pro Groomer stand out is that it can dig and mix, or it can finish and smooth. It can level, or it can compact. Most groomers can’t do all those functions. It’s like having four different groomers in one. It works for any discipline really well,” Riders from many disciplines, including hunters, jumpers, eventers, and western riders have been avid consumers of the product so far.
Premier Equestrian expects the groomer to save riders time and money by eliminating the need to hire contractors to flip and mix arena surfaces or replace the footing. Zorn explained, “Textiles have become really popular in arena footing. We put textiles in the sand to create a rooting system to feel like a grass surface. The problem with those type of arenas is if you don’t have the proper equipment, mixing it is like moving sod. This surface can be very hard to maintain. Most of the groomers out on the market today don’t truly mix soil, they just have a finishing setting and do the top coat. With the Pro Groomer, you can scrape down to the base and remix all of your footing.”
Zorn noted that arena footing actually behaves in the same way as a box of cereal. “Footing is like a box of Corn Flakes – all the big stuff is on top and by the time you get to the bottom of the bag, it’s all crumbs. That’s what happens to footing. The small particles always settle to the bottom, the textile separates, and the big particles go to the top. Our groomer has a setting that lifts up those fine particles and mixes the fabric back into the footing.”
Olympic dressage rider Laura Graves uses the Premier Pro Groomer on her own arena footing, which also utilizes Premier Equestrian’s textile-footing additives Premier ProTex® and ArenaAid™ (Photo courtesy JRPR- no photo credit necessary)
Top international riders are already in love with the new Premier Pro Groomer, including dressage superstars Steffen Peters, Laura Graves, and Debbie McDonald.
Olympic Bronze Medalist Laura Graves, currently ranked third in the FEI World Individual Dressage Rankings, said, “I groom everything with it! It is so easy. If we’ve had a lot of water, I can groom the arena and help it drain. If the footing gets a little tight, I can fluff it up. It has double rollers on the front and the back, so making a single pass with this groomer is like dragging your arena twice with any other groomer. The finish is just so perfect. It’s made my life extremely easy!”
Bob McDonald, who operates River Grove Farm with his wife, Olympic Bronze Medalist Debbie McDonald, said, “I can’t say enough about it. The farm wouldn’t be the same without it. I use three different types of footing, and this groomer works well with all of it. It maintains the depth of the footing and keeps it all uniform and consistent. It’s the best groomer I’ve ever seen.”
Premier Equestrian is excited to have another revolutionary product on the market to keep with the company’s tradition of finding a simpler and better way to achieve excellence for top equestrians. To learn more about the Premier Pro Groomer, the Mini Pro Groomer, or any of Premier Equestrian’s popular products, call (800) 611-6109 or visit http://premierequestrian.com/horse-arena-footing/grooming-equipment/premier-pro-groomer/.
