Saltex, the first of our main two industry shows, is taking place this week Wednesday 31st and 1st November at the NEC Birmingham. I personally always look forward to attending these shows as they are a celebration of our industry and enable us the opportunity to see at first hand the latest developments and catch up with what’s going on in our ever-changing sector.

With over 300 exhibitors there will be something for everyone to see. I firmly believe as practitioners it is our duty to attend and support these shows. The exhibitors commit a lot of time and money to attend these trade shows, therefore we, the end users, should make an effort to attend and support these companies.

At the end of the day these firms invest a lot of money in bringing new machinery, products and resources to fruition, thus enabling us to be more professional and effective in the way we can maintain our facilities.

Not only do we get to see the latest innovations and machinery we can also network with an array of turf professionals. Over the last few years we have also seen a greater emphasis on improving our image and raising the profile of our industry.

The introduction of education seminars, guest speakers and the opportunity to hear first hand experiences from the top grounds professionals is truly inspirational.

We often do not consider the sheer scale and size of what we, as an industry manage. The total land mass is colossal.

• There are over 2,500 golf courses in Britain, covering about 1,500 km2, at least 0.5% of the land area. There are approximately 90 golf courses in England that are designated as SSSI, because apart from the intensively managed trees and greens they have other habitats with high wildlife value.
• There are 418 principal (unitary, upper and second tier) councils in the UK – 27 county councils, 201 district councils, and 125 unitary councils.
• There are over 2000 rugby clubs in the UK
• There are more than 7,000 teams of about 5,300 clubs are the members of the English football league system.
• There are currently 32,113 schools in the UK. Of these, 20,925 are primary schools and 4,168 are secondary schools. There are 2,381 independent schools, 1,256 special schools and 351 pupil referral units. Most of the UK's schools are in England.
• National Trust own and manage over 300 historic buildings
• Over 300,000 cricket players in the UK
• 2000 Green flag awarded parks and openspaces

Just looking at the above figures I found, gives you an indication of how big our industry is. We must have thousands of groundsmen and greenkeepers, managers and volunteers working regularly to maintain these facilities.

It begs the question where are they all when it comes to supporting these shows? At best we regularly see around 9,000 people attend the two main industry shows. To me that seems quite a small fraction of the people who make a living and dedicate themselves to managing all these facilities.

There is no doubt in the last 10 years we have become a more professional industry and with the help of many organisations and sports governing bodies we are continually raising the profile of our wonderful industry.

One of the most successful ways to enhance the reputation and skills of our industry is to reward the endeavour and commitment of grounds professionals and volunteers with appropriate awards. I believe there is no doubt the success of the IOG awards at Saltex is raising the profile of our industry.

This year, celebrating their 10th anniversary, the awards acknowledge the passion, dedication and challenges faced by grounds staff, volunteers and professionals across all levels of sport.

“Once again we have enjoyed a bumper number of nominations for the awards, matching last year’s record-breaking entry,” said IOG chief executive, Geoff Webb. “The quality has really been exceptional – with the judges commenting that some of the applications have been the best they’ve seen in the awards’ history – and a host of new nominees have come to the fore, too.”

He continued, “We should applaud everyone who has reached the shortlist - and those who have been highly commended - in an annual event that attracts national and regional TV, radio, social media and press coverage, and acknowledges the efforts of our armies of grounds people who prepare playing surfaces at all levels of sport.”

Geoff adds, “The awards would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, and these companies and organisations have enabled the event to become a landmark occasion for the whole groundscare industry – especially this year as we celebrate a special anniversary.”

The winners will be announced Oscar-style at the IOG Industry Awards dinner by host Mark Saggers from talkSPORT radio at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, on Wednesday 31 October.

So summing up, I believe we all should make an effort to attend these well run shows and take the opportunity to network and improve our knowledge in what new innovations, machinery and resources we have available to help us do our jobs more efficiently and effectively. At the same time these event help raise the profile of our industry.

I will look forward to meeting you all at this year’s show. TurfPro will be sharing a stand with our sister title Service Dealer – so please pop over to Stand M030 and say hi.

A fleet of 22 Cub Cadet Infinicut mowers have recently been installed at Ciudad Real Madrid, to maintain all of the natural pitches at the club's prestigious training facility.

In his new role as Director of Grounds and Environment, the switch to the electric mowers is another big step in helping Paul Burgess achieve his aim of reducing carbon emissions.

“As the largest sports franchise in the world, we have a responsibility to set a precedent when it comes to carbon emissions,” explains Paul, who heads up a grounds team of 60 across both the stadium and training complex.

“Whilst we’re always reviewing and exploring new avenues to offset our emissions, a number of initiatives including recycling of irrigation and substituting chemical usage for biological control in our gardens are already well underway. A lot of work has already taken place, which saw both the stadium and training facility awarded the STMA Environment Certification last year, the first two non-American venues to achieve this accreditation.”

For the last two years, three Infinicut 30” mowers have been in use at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium with the latest delivery, of 22 34” models, taken in October 2018.

“Being able to run these on electric power ticks a major box for me, and my desire to use clean energy technology. But in addition to that, the performance and quality of cut we achieve with them is superb. The changes in terms of technology has given us the opportunity to create a new uniformity across our fleet”.

In addition to the mowers, Paul also purchased a range of TMSystem Cassettes.

Paul adds, “We are very impressed with how this system performs and have already achieved excellent results.”

As one of only ten venues in the country chosen for the 12th ICC Cricket World Cup next year, Somerset County Cricket Club say they are relying on Toro to ensure its outfield is ready for the eyes of the cricketing world upon it.

The club, based in Taunton, is in good company as a World Cup host with Lord’s and The Oval, but as one of the smallest and newest in the line-up, the benchmark is high, says head groundsman Simon Lee.

Head groundsman Simon Lee, second from left, is joined by Alan Dommett, left, Jeanette Dommett and Elliot Wellman all from Devon Garden Machinery with the club’s new Toro Reelmaster 3100-D (right) and old RM2300-D

“Our trajectory of growth over the last five years has been huge. As part of our categorisation in to group B we received some funding so for the first time in 100 years we could improve our drainage system. This completely changed the way the outfield grew. What had previously been more like a recreational surface was suddenly more like a sports surface, with thicker, denser grass.

“This has meant a lot more work in terms of cutting and maintaining the area. We’d been using a 20-year old Toro Reelmaster 2300-D, and while that machine has been a fantastic workhorse and we’d never had a problem with it, the time had come to upgrade to a newer model to help cope with the change in the turf’s characteristics.”

A demo, organised by Devon Garden Machinery, saw Simon and the team trial a seven-year old Toro Reelmaster 3100-D, which, says Simon, “set the bar high for everything else that followed.”

He continues: “Whatever machine followed the RM2300-D had its work cut out. We think so highly of it that if its successor is even half as good as it’s been, that will be enough”. And so far, says Simon, the RM3100-D the club ultimately opted for has impressed him.

“Mechanically its all the same - an engine and bottom blade - but my goodness the way it chews effortlessly through the grass is really impressive. It takes two and a half hours to cut five acres."

With three international matches between New Zealand and Afghanistan, Australia and Pakistan and West Indies and Bangladesh to look forward to it in June 2019, it really has been an eventful five years for the club, with the future everything to play for.

Simon concludes: “Being chosen as a World Cup venue puts us on a level playing field with some of the best sporting venues in the country, and it’s incredibly important we present at our best."

This week's IOG Industry Awards event now won’t include scheduled comedian Tom Allen - who regrettably has filming commitments with the Great British Bake Off.

However, the IOG has signed Milton Jones - the wild-haired ‘Prince of Puns’ as a replacement, who fresh off his UK tour, will be sharing gags to a sell-out audience at the annual Awards night which takes place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on the first evening of SALTEX, this Wednesday.

Milton is a previous Perrier Best Newcomer, the winner of two Sony Awards, and a British Comedy Award nominee. His TV credits include Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Mock the Week, and Dave’s One Night Stand.

One of the UK’s most successful ‘one liner’ stand-ups, Milton’s acclaimed live shows have all played to more than 100,000 people, all of whom laughed themselves silly at lines such as: “About a month before my grandfather died we covered his back with lard. After that he went downhill very quickly.”

Commenting on the new act, IOG CEO Geoff Webb says, “Milton Jones is excellent and his one liners will no doubt have our audience in stitches. We can’t wait to host our 10th edition of the IOG Awards celebrating a decade of achievement in groundsmanship.”

Allett have announced that they are welcoming two brand new team members this month, whilst at the same time saying goodbye and good luck to long-standing member of staff, Leigh Bowers.

Taking new positions are Steve Robinson who becomes the company's new business developer and Steve Copnall, who was originally from the engineering department and is now taking up the role of new product specialist. James Moss will replace Steve Copnall as development and Test engineer.

Upon joining Allett, Steve Robinson said, "I’ve had 25 years of experience in sales and business development within a wide range of sectors including hotels, corporate travel, manufacturing and ingredients. I’ve worked with global blue chip companies as well as small independents. I always strive to give the best customer service and to help the business I work for being the best in their industry.

Steve Robinson

“My new role at Allett is perfect for me because I love working with a wide range of clients and each one has a different problem to solve. My aim is to build long-term partnerships and to be able to help the clients with all their needs."

Speaking about his new position, Steve Copnall said, "I joined Allett in 2011 and being a mechanical engineer I was drawn to an available development engineering role. During this time I was involved in introducing new company products, carrying out product changes and developing new ideas working alongside customers. Keen to progress within this industry, I registered and completed IEng Incorporated Engineering status to assist with my continued professional development.

Steve Copnall

“With my new role, being mechanically biased and working well with customers I hope to bring these together and working closely with engineering bring the best ideas and products to market."

Austin Jarrett, md of Allett Mowers said, ”We are excited to have Steve Robinson on board and the creation of his role reflects the growth of the Allett brand not only just in the UK but globally. Steve Copnall meanwhile, has all the experience necessary to excel in his new product specialist role and will be undertaking the demonstration part of Leigh's previous role with Steve Robinson looking after the initial sales enquiries."

The company have also announced that long-standing member of the Allett family, Leigh Bowers has moved on after being with Allett/Turfmech for almost 20 years.

Leigh Bowers, centre

In a statement the the company said, "Over the years Leigh has developed close relationships with groundsmen, home owners and dealers all over the world. Leigh is one of the hardest working guys you could ever meet and wouldn’t think twice about doing demonstrations in Scotland and Sussex in the same day! We wish Leigh good luck in whatever he does next- he will be hugely missed! Thank you for 19 years service, Leigh."

Simon Richard Ltd, UK sales agents for the Reform specialist bank tractor and Muthing flail ranges, have confirmed the appointment of Newcastle-on-Tyne based Lloyd Ltd as dealers for both products.

Reform Metrac at work with Muthing flail

Commenting on the agreement Simon Richard said, "The Lloyd name is an excellent addition to our nationwide dealer network."

Simon Theurer, head groundsman at George Heriots School in Edinburgh, has reported excellent results from overseeding with Limagrain’s MM60 grass seed mix.

Originally founded in the early 17th century to provide an education to ‘fatherless bairns' in the city of Edinburgh, George Heriots School now flourishes as an independent co-educational day school for children aged between 3 and 18.

The school provides an exceptional academic education for all pupils, as well as superb extra-curricular activities - which is where Simon comes in.

Simon, who has been at George Heriots for an incredible 23 years, is the man tasked with maintaining the school’s grounds which includes 3 full size rugby pitches, 3 junior rugby pitches, 5 grass hockey pitches, 2 cricket squares as well as facilities for athletics and tennis. The school has a long history of successful sporting activity and currently boasts some of the strongest sporting sides in Scotland’s education system.

“We have top quality sports teams hence the reason we only use top quality products such as Limagrain’s,” says Simon. “Whenever I have been looking for grass seed Limagrain has always been highly recommended. Therefore, I chose MM60 for the rugby pitches and I’ve had a lot of success from using it towards the end of July.

“I’ve noticed that it germinates very quickly at that time of year and I get good growth and good coverage,” continued Simon. “It fills in the areas that were not really taken in the spring, so for quickness of cover I think it is very good. I can’t get an awful lot of water to the pitches but I would say that MM60 is one of the better, more drought resistant species for that time of year.”

Simon applies MM60 at anywhere between 30g – 35g per square metre and says that it gives him full confidence in his rugby pitches over the winter period.

“We have such a high footfall here and we need tough grasses that are proven.

“Over the winter it keeps its colour very well and is very disease resistant. At the back end of the summer it’s good to have that peace of mind that you know you have a grass seed that is going to grow fast and well.”

Sam Young, course manager at West Malling Golf Club in Kent, says he has seen an improvement in the efficacy of his spraying operations since claiming the Team Scout pedestrian sprayer through ICL and Syngenta’s Turf Rewards loyalty scheme.

Turf Rewards provides the opportunity for customers to earn points from purchases that can then be exchanged against a selection of agronomic or turf related items and learning opportunities. 

“It’s a huge bonus when buying turf management products,” says Sam. “We claimed the sprayer this year because it is something that we thought would improve the accessibility of spraying some of our smaller tees.”

The Team Scout is suitable for greenkeepers and groundsmen who require an efficient and reliable pedestrian sprayer. The unit has an adjustable pressure control system which the company says ensures constant, accurate liquid application and three pneumatic wheels.

“It is incredibly easy to manoeuvre. At my previous club we used to have a four-wheel pedestrian sprayer which was difficult to turn. The rear wheel on the ‘Scout’ allows for effective turning within the headland of the area being treated - this is particularly beneficial when considering some of the tees are only 25m2 with surrounding banks and thus not suited to using a tractor or utility vehicle sprayer.

"It is now possible to treat these tees as all the others”.

Rain Bird say that keeping connections secure and waterproof is essential for any irrigation control system if costly maintenance or repair call outs are to be avoided.

Now, for low voltage irrigation connections up to 30 volts, the company has announced the launch of the DBM10 quick connect wire connector. Designed for residential and small commercial applications, it provides a waterproof connection with a simple twist-on-wire nut. There is there is no need to strip or pre-twist the wires.

The DBM10 has a UL 486C rating for the use of sealed connector systems in damp or wet conditions. It is prefilled with a silicone sealant that the company says completely surrounds the wire splice, holding it firmly in place and making it permanently waterproof. The connector contains up to 75% more silicone than other competitive products with the extra silicone completely filling the connector and thereby preventing any water pooling inside.

Rain Bird say that waterproofing is further ensured by the snap fit lid which also prevents strain on the splice. A translucent green depression cap allows connections to be checked. Its one piece blade ensures good current flow between its conductors.

The DBM10 is UV, impact and flame resistant with an operating temperature up to 105º degrees C. Its toughness has been further highlighted in pull-out tests where an average of 10% more force was required to even move the wire nut from the bottom of the connector to the lid. This obviates the need for any additional locking feature. During destruction tests, the company says the wire outside the DBM 10 connector broke before the wire splice inside the connector.

Reesink Turfcare, Sherriff Amenity and McConnel have been announced as the final three companies competing to get their hands on the SALTEX 2018 Innovation Award.
After making its successful debut at last year’s show, the SALTEX 2018 Innovation Award attracted even more entries from various exhibitors across the globe and included a wide variety of high-quality products, services and equipment.

Judged by an independent panel of industry experts it was decided that the Toro Outcross 9060 from Reesink Turfcare, PrecisionPro from Sherriff Amenity and a product that cannot yet be named from McConnel were the stand out entries.

The final three companies will now take to the stage on the first day of SALTEX in the all new Innovation Hub (stand K021) from 11.30am to 12.35pm. A representative from each will take place to offer a great insight into their respective innovations and answer questions from Innovation Hub host Kevin Lynch - a former referee and current football speaker.

The winner’s ceremony will then commence in the Innovation Hub at 2:30pm where the overall winner will be announced.

Innovation Hub visitors can also expect interviews with industry experts and those at the forefront of new groundscare innovations and listen to research and trial work findings. Furthermore, a number of key speakers will take to the stage to discuss and explore current groundscare trends.

Kevin Lynch and IOG CEO Geoff Webb will kick-start proceedings at 11:00am on the first day of SALTEX by commenting on what most would agree has been a golden period in innovation in sports turf over the last 10-15 years.

A panel debate featuring Horticulture Week’s Sally Drury, IOG regional pitch advisor Rob Donnelly and IOG learning programme architect Chris Gray will take place shortly after. The panel will be providing an update on new technology in groundscare and will have their say on what key developments they feel have had a significant impact on the industry.

It is no surprise that digital media is being utilised by many within the industry and this topic will be explored in the next session. The loss of important active ingredients is becoming more frequent than ever and a number of products are being taken off the market, especially in regards to pest management - so an expert panel will be exploring alternative solutions.

This will be followed by sessions on what’s new in grass cultivars, cordless machinery and robotics.

Reinforced pitches for cricket and tennis will be the final topic of the day with turf consultant Alex Vickers, ECB pitch advisor Chris Wood and Neil Stubley from the AELTC – who will discuss their views.

The Innovation Hub will conclude with the SALTEX 2018 Innovation Award winner’s ceremony.

The programme of events will be replicated on day two of SALTEX.

SALTEX 2018 is free to attend. To register your attendance and beat the queues visit www.iogsaltex.com

Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX

ARTIFICIAL WORRIES
Injuries and infections in the news

CHANGE, CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY
At the Amenity Forum Conference

PARKS IN DEEP MIRE
Problem highlighted by national newspaper

RYDER CUP GLORY
Dedicated greenkeepers shine in Paris

DREAMS COME TRUE!
Dedication pays off

REASONS TO BE GLEEFUL
Trade show illustrates diversity of our industry

INTEGRATED USE OF PESTICIDE PRODUCTS
Following good practice

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SOIL
Challenging conditions this year

THE SHOWS MUST GO ON
Our main industry events are a must visit

CRICKET RENOVATIONS
Plan and prepare early

CRISIS FOR GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL PITCHES
And the selling of Wembley Stadium

GREEN NOSE DAY
Highlighting the work of turf professionals

SUMMER CHALLENGES
Difficult time for our whole industry

WORLD CUP MANIA
Every pitch stood up to the demands

RAISING THE FLAG
In praise of the The Green Flag Award® scheme