When it comes to working out which is God’s Country, Nigel Clatworthy is likely to take an each-way punt. A native of South Wales in the UK, he emigrated to the Darfield area of Canterbury in 2000 and spent six years working on a large-scale potato growing operation. In 2007, along with wife Clare, the Clatworthy’s lease farmed in their own right, raising cattle and sheep, for the next 12 years.
In 2019, and looking for a change of direction, the Clatworthy’s formed a business partnership with existing contractors, Chamberlain Ag, which now employs 22 staff, specialising in mowing, harvesting and baling. Working over an area that encompasses Christchurch to Arthurs Pass, Oxford to Hororata and south to Dunsandel, the business prides itself on timeliness and a quality job carried out by experienced operators.
Nigel says, “Back in 2020, we were very experienced in the capabilities of triple mowers and were running four sets of triples from four different manufacturers. We took a bit of a leap of faith, when we bought the big KV rear mowers, as it was one of the first to be brought into the country.”
Today, a key element of the mowing operation is that Kverneland 53100T rear-mounted butterfly unit, fitted with conditioners and rear belt groupers, working in conjunction with a front-mounted Kverneland 3.2 metre Mo-Co.
Offering a hydraulically adjustable working width from 9.5 to 10.2 metres, Nigel explains that the easy adjustment always allows maximum output, in varying crop density. “In the early part of the season, when the crops are heavy, we can close the mower a little and maintain a good forward speed. As crops get lighter, we can open it out to the maximum width.”
The 53100T is equipped with a fully welded construction cutter-bar, equipped with round discs and heavy-duty cranked blades, for excellent cutting quality. The heavy-duty blade is held in place by a spring plate to allow quick change with the tool supplied. A full-width conditioner assembly uses steel tines that swing into the working position as the rotor speeds up, to work in conjunction with the conditioner hood.
The hood is adjustable at the front and the rear, to allow it to be opened to increase crop flow at the front and closed at the rear to achieve a greater conditioning effect. In the event of a blockage, the tines can swing backwards, under a 24kg loading to create a 100mm gap through which blockages can pass.
The belt-groupers offer a wide range of swathing options from single to multiple swathes to the centre or side delivery. “We like to half group, using the right-hand belt, so when we return on the next pass, we effectively lay six swathes in the width of four. We then bring these together with a four-rotor rake to feed the harvester or the balers,’ says Nigel.
Operated by a 300hp tractor, Nigel notes that while the triple set-up is quite heavy, the unit is easily manageable, and if, on occasion, a smaller tractor is used, it is still possible, with just a little more care.
Nigel comments, “Other than a few teething problems when the machine was new - quickly sorted by Power Farming Technical Support Specialist Mike Griffiths, the machine has performed beyond expectations. We are now into our fifth season, with around 14,000 ha through the machine. We have never replaced any cutter-bar components and only ever broken one conditioner tine. This is remarkable considering we hit hidden hydrants, rocks and not-so-hidden gate posts. The machine is easy to set up using the ISOBUS connection, and the genuine KV blades outlast any spurious items. Please don’t tell Power Farming Canterbury, but a replacement will be on the cards for the 2026-27 season.”
