Local family business named best nationwide in major industry award
local business Armidale Mower and Chainsaw Centre, owned by husband and wife team Sam and Kirrilly Ritchie, was awarded the National 2025 Bobcat Mower Dealer of the Year. Photo Heath ForsythArmidale Mower and. . .
local business Armidale Mower and Chainsaw Centre, owned by husband and wife team Sam and Kirrilly Ritchie, was awarded the National 2025 Bobcat Mower Dealer of the Year. Photo Heath ForsythArmidale Mower and Chainsaw Centre has been recognised as a national dealership of the year. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingAll articles from our websiteThe digital version ofToday'sPaperAll otherin your areaThe local business owned by husband and wife team Sam and Kirrilly Ritchie was awarded the National 2025 Bobcat Mower Dealer of the Year. "It's an accolade we didn't see coming, which was nice," Mr Ritchie said. "It's an achievement that reflects the dedication of our amazing team, the loyalty of our valued customers, and our commitment to delivering outstanding sales, service, and support across the New England region. "It would not have been possible without the trust and support of our customers. "The criteria for the award are items of sale in grass maintenance equipment (GME), meaning the Armidale store outsold every other Bobcat dealer nationwide. "It's a pretty humbling award for a little family-owned shop in northern New South Wales. "I guess it's just the measure of hard work and a dedication to good customer service, and our wonderful customers themselves, we couldn't have done it without them," he said. Mr and Mrs Ritchie took over Armidale Mower and Chainsaw Centre in 2021. For Sam, the move marked a major career shift. After years managing large teams in the mining industry, small business ownership brought a new set of responsibilities. Kirrilly's path has been just as varied. Beginning her career as a veterinary nurse, she later became a paramedic and is now a Registered Nurse. Alongside her professional life, she and Sam are raising their three sons, firmly embedding their family in the Armidale community they are proud to serve. From day one, the local community has been incredibly supportive. "We've been given such a warm welcome," Mr Ritchie said. "Long-standing customers have been patient, encouraging and understanding during what was a real baptism of fire"Mr Ritchie said they didn't make a lot of wholesale changes to the business, which employs four other people, when they took over. "The platform was already solid. There were some good brands in the stable already, but one thing we focused more on was the mowers and the Bobcats"They weren't as well-known as we thought they could have been. "We really like the Bobcat brand, and we understand the quality behind them, so it's easy to sell something that you can guarantee the quality of, and you feel good about recommending it to customers. "Armidale Mower and Chainsaw Centre supply a wide range of quality outdoor power and agricultural equipment for homeowners, contractors, rural properties and commercial operations. They service chainsaws, mowers, brush cutters, hedge trimmers, blowers and a range of contractor and rural equipment and provide servicing, maintenance and repairs for petrol and battery-powered equipment from routine services and blade sharpening to mechanical repairs, diagnostics and warranty work. "We really try to pride ourselves on a high professional standard. "And we hold ourselves accountable to that standard, whether it's out the front here in the customer service or customer facing or it's in the workshop where we're maintaining those bits of machinery for the customer, we try and ensure that always, in all ways, we are doing our best. ""We also extend our sincere thanks to Clark Equipment Australia and Bobcat Mowers Australia for this prestigious recognition. "As it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.