More than 640 of the UK’s and Europe’s leading groundscare experts from both the professional and volunteer sector, as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators, honoured the expertise, dedication and passion of the country’s grounds profession at the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) annual Industry Awards last week.


The 2016 winners

Now in its eighth year, the sell-out event at the National Conference Centre, within the National Motorcycle Museum and hosted by talkSPORT radio presenter Mark Saggers, recognised leadership, innovation and outstanding achievement across every aspect of groundscare - from grassroots pitches to professional stadia.

The prestigious awards ceremony also celebrated the quality standards of groundscare achieved in public and private sports venues, and highlighted the progress of young/student grounds professionals as well as entrants’ environmental considerations.

The winners of the 2016 IOG Industry Awards are:

• SGL Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year – Tottenham Hotspur FC
• Headland Amenity Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year – Essex County Cricket Club
• John Deere Professional Horse Racing Grounds Team of the Year – Huntingdon Racecourse, Cambridgeshire
• Desso Professional Rugby Football Union Grounds Team of the Year – Ricoh Arena (Wasps) Coventry
• Mansfield Sand Professional Rugby Football League Grounds Team of the Year - Leeds Rhinos (Leeds Rugby)
• Professional Tennis Grounds Team of the Year – All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon
• National Governing Bodies’ Professional Sports Ground of the Year – Wembley Stadium
• Rigby Taylor/Top Green Young Groundsman of the Year – Lewis Pattinson, Leeds Rugby
• Toro Most Promising Sports Turf Student of the Year – Katie Croft, Manchester City FC
• SISGrass Unsung Hero of the Year – Paul Roberts, Grayshott Cricket Club, Hampshire
• Ransomes Environmental Project/Innovation of the Year - St George’s Park, Burton upon Trent, Staffs
• STIHL Contractor of the Year – Premier Pitches, Sheffield
• Best Maintained Artificial Pitch of the Year – University of Nottingham
• Countrywide Turf & Amenity Independent School/University/Sports Ground Team of the Year – The Hurlingham Club, London
• Bowling Green Groundsman/Team of the Year – Burnham Hillside Bowls Club, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
• Trimax International Ambassador of the Year – Stuart Wilson, Croke Park, Dublin
• National Governing Bodies’ Grassroots Sports Ground Team of the Year – Rugby Town Junior FC, Rugby
• Redexim Charterhouse/Kubota Volunteer Groundsman of the Year – Lee Watson, Clay Cross Town FC, Derbyshire
• Alex R Millar DLF Johnsons/Ransomes Groundsman of the Year – Neil Stubley, All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon
• Souters Sports Lifetime Achievement Award – Nico van Vuuren, Stadium Grow Lighting, Holland