BTME last week was certainly abuzz.

Abuzz with packed halls, with greenkeeping professionals in their droves attending educational workshops and with rumours, speculation and discussion on what the show would like look like next year in its changed format.

Firstly, congratulations are in order to BIGGA for putting on an event which there is clearly a great demand and affection for. Certainly on days one and two, the halls felt absolutely packed at peak times. Almost too busy in fact as it was a bit tricky to move about the aisles freely on occasion. Which in a way is a good problem to have - and of course one of the reasons why the association says they need to change up the location within the Harrogate Convention Centre next January.

Alongside this move though, one feels they should also look at their registration and show entry system - as that was one of the few true grumbles I heard last week. Visitors were encouraged to pre-register for the show to 'beat the crowds', but upon arrival everyone had to have their QR code they'd been sent scanned, and a badge printed with a different barcode on it.

Between 9 and 10am when a good proportion of visitors were arriving, this was creating queues of frustrated punters who were having to hang around for around 20 minutes to get in - which in the January weather is not ideal. Visitors and exhibitors alike seemed to be affected by this.

At SALTEX those who have pre-registered are sent their entry badge via email to print at home, so when you turn up at the show you just pop it in a lanyard, get beeped by the staff and walk in. A similar system next year when there is apparently going to be just a single entrance for all show visitors would surely be desirable?

Plenty to experience

Once entry to the show had been gained though it without a doubt felt vibrant and upbeat.

The Continue To Learn aspect of the Harrogate week clearly is going from strength to strength - and it's great that this will form a central focus to the new layout from next year. BIGGA say that "more than 3,000 individual education experiences" took place last week. 

With events divided between the Queen’s Suite in the Harrogate Convention Centre and the Majestic Hotel, there was a wide range of seminars and workshops on offer for BIGGA members at all stages of their careers. The association describes Continue to Learn as "the largest single education programme for the turf management industry outside of the United States." This is not to be sniffed at and is quite rightly a major draw for the professional greenkeepers making their way to north Yorkshire.

Other added bonuses for attendees included GolfBIC, The Turf Managers Conference, the Welcome Celebration including the Annual BIGGA Awards and the BTME Breakfast Club. The latter this year featured a stellar lineup of experts at the top of their game. Kenny Mackay, Darren Baldwin, Stuart Kerrison and Keith Kent spoke about their roles at Wentworth, Tottenham Hotspur, Essex Cricket Club and the Rugby Football Union. It's events like this which will keep visitors returning year after year.

Vibrant exhibition

Many exhibitors I spoke to were extremely happy with the number and quality of visitors they were welcoming to their stands.

Husqvarna for example, had returned to the exhibition after a considerable number of years away. The company is making excellent progress into the commercial sector with their robotic mowers, battery machinery and Fleet Services offerings and saw BTME as an opportunity to make valuable contacts in the golf world. Kevin Ashmore, UK Commercial Landscape & Groundcare Manager told me at the start of Day 2 that they'd had a good mix of people coming on to their stand, all interested in the benefits which this new technology could offer their professional businesses.

L-R: Husqvarna's Kevin Ashmore, James Walker, Graham Brown and Gary Philpott

Having only recently formed at the backend of 2017, Iseki UK and Ireland make their debut with a small stand - which seemed constantly busy. Product and Marketing manager Richard Tyrell told me that at the moment they are sticking with the established dealer network they have inherited from Ransomes - but that they would be looking to expand in time. He said he was very encouraged by the level of loyalty to the brand he'd heard during the show.

L-R: John Clifford and Richard Tyrell on the Iseki UK & Ireland stand

Kubota were showcasing new groundscare products including a new zero turn mower and compact tractors. Product manager Tim Yates said that even though the company has been making serious in-roads into the agricultural sector in recent times, groundscare is still the heart of the company. He said what the recent developments in their agricultural machinery had allowed them to do though, was to bring across some of that cutting edge technology which the market demanded, into the commercial sector.

Kubota's Tim Yates

The future

So if it ain't broke, don't fix it? Well not quite.

BIGGA have said that the show this year sold out to exhibitors back in September and they had a waiting of list of companies wanting to pay for stands which they had to turn down. So it's only natural that they would want to find more space to accommodate this - hence changing the layout within the convention centre. And as previously mentioned the halls used this year were a tad overcrowded, with no real space for visitors to relax.

It's this 'visitor experience' which BIGGA are stressing they want to improve. At the conclusion of the show last Thursday, BIGGA Chief Executive Jim Croxton said of next year's show, "It’s going to be more pleasant, people are going to stay longer around the halls, take a break, get some food and drink, see some innovations and have a look at some of the things we offer our members as well."

However, I did hear a few reservations from exhibitors about the changes being made - some of which were to do with logistics. A couple of the new halls to be used are located upstairs in the convention centre - which of course presents difficulties in getting machinery up on to stands. Concerns were also expressed about ceiling height in some of the rooms with exhibitors worried that stands which they already own might not fit in.

BIGGA were keen to point out that the new configuration of halls would have a natural flow, but I heard people concerned that some had the potential to become possible ghost towns - the way that Hall Q used to (which is one of the halls coming back into operation). There was a rumour going around that to combat this the big draw machinery boys would be split up and dotted around the exhibition to make sure people visited every corner. Which is good for the show, but maybe those manufactures like being grouped together as they currently are in Hall M?

The biggest concern I think exhibitors have though, was that it seemed they wouldn't immediately be sure where exactly their stand would be located next year. Rather they would be putting in a request which the organising team would then do their best to accommodate. I'm sure BIGGA will be working hard with their customers to make sure they are satisfied, but concerns were clearly held. One would expect a period of rigorous negotiation will be commencing straight away.

Change itself is of course often held with suspicion. The unknown is feared, especially when what we've had is held in such esteem. Next January will be a true litmus test for the show. I'm sure it can't come around quick enough for BIGGA so they can prove they are able deliver on their promise of an improved visitor experience - whilst at the same time making it work for their commercial partners.

Who let's not forget, are utterly vital to its continued success.

The BIGGA Welcome Celebration which took place in Harrogate Convention Centre’s Royal Hall during BTME last week saw the BIGGA Annual Awards presented.

The winners were:

Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year sponsored by Rigby Taylor

The greenkeeping team at The Wentworth Club in Virginia Water was recognised for its incredible performance in preparing the course for the BMW PGA Championship 2017 with the BIGGA Championship Performance of the Year Award.

The Wentworth greenkeeping team with Chris Clark, chairman of Rigby Taylor

The redesign of Wentworth’s famous West Course was conducted by European Tour Golf Design, with the support of Ryder Cup captains Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn and the Ernie Els Design group. But it was Director of Estates and Golf Courses Kenny Mackay and his team who were responsible for ensuring the changes were implemented ahead of the BMW PGA Championship in May 2017.

All 18 greens were stripped of the old turf and re-seeded with a new creeping bent, while four greens - on the eighth, 11th, 14th and 16th holes – were completely rebuilt. A sub-air system was also installed on all the greens, while new drainage and irrigation was introduced.

Furthermore, all the bunkers were redesigned and reconstructed, with 29 completely removed from play.

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “This was nothing short of a superhuman effort by the team at The Wentworth Club, who worked non-stop from the moment the 2016 BMW PGA Championship ended until the 2017 event began to ensure the course matched up to the incredible standards required when hosting the European Tour’s flagship championship."

BIGGA Greenkeeping Achievement of the Year sponsored by Baroness

Led by Course Manager Neil McLoughlin (41), the greenkeeping team at Deeside Golf Club in Aberdeenshire were announced as the winner of the BIGGA Greenkeeping Achievement of the Year Award.

The Deeside greenkeeping team with Adam Butler from Baroness

When Storm Frank hit Aberdeenshire the day before New Year’s Eve in 2015, it caused the River Dee to reach record levels, three times covering the course in a thick layer of silt and debris.

In the aftermath, the team was able to get 10 holes reopened after just 77 days and the clean-up saw over six tonnes of grass seed laid down, 10,000m2 of turf laid and all 98 bunkers rebuilt, using 3,000 tonnes of sand for topdressing and bunkers.

During 2017 the hard work continued, with the silt layer impeding drainage. Over 400m of drainage was installed and a programme of scarification and topdressing helped break down the silt layer further.

Jim Croxton said: “Of the golf clubs who were hit hard by the devastation that Storm Frank wrought in December 2015, it was perhaps Deeside who were hit hardest of all.

“For greenkeepers who dedicate their lives to maintaining a relatively small patch of land, the damage must have been heartbreaking. It is therefore to Neil and his team’s immense credit that they were able to pick themselves up and restore the course to its former glory.

“I cannot praise the greenkeeping team highly enough for the work they have done to get Deeside back on its feet. They are truly an inspiration to greenkeepers all over the country.”

BIGGA Young Greenkeeper of the Year sponsored by Textron Golf

Talented young head greenkeeper at Durness Golf Club Alistair Morrison (25) was announced as the winner of the BIGGA Young Greenkeeper of the Year Award.

Young Greenkeeper of the Year Alastair Morrison with Andre Andrade of Textron Golf

Alistair began his career as an apprentice at Brora, before moving back to his hometown club at Durness. As the only member of the greenkeeping team at the most north-westerly course on mainland Britain, the role requires a huge amount of dedication and commitment to personal development and the development of the course.
During his three years at Brora, Alistair volunteered at three European Tour events, including the European Masters in Switzerland.

Jim Croxton said, “I’m delighted that we have been able to recognise the efforts of Alistair, who has achieved professional and personal development despite the challenges faced of preparing a course in tough economic time. The fact Alistair is able to prepare a thriving course for his golfers, despite working on his own and in such a remote location, is no mean feat and he is an inspiration to us all.”

The prestigious title of Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year (ASOY) has been won by Nathan Hume, Contracts Manager and Ecologist for national grounds maintenance experts, SH Goss Ltd.

Dr Ruth Mann, Head of research at STRI with winner Nathan Hume

ASOY rewards top sprayer operators across the amenity industry, with the aim to share their best practices to enhance standards for all.

Presented for the first time at BTME last week, the ASOY Awards are organised by the Amenity Forum, and sponsored by ICL and Syngenta, in association with BASIS.

As well as the overall top operator, Nathan Hume was the winner of the Landscape & Industrial using hand held equipment category.

Also recognised by the Awards were Chris Phillips of Complete Weed Control South Wales, as the top operator for Sports turf using boom sprayer or hand held equipment, along with the company’s Lee Harrison, winner of the Landscape & Industrial using vehicle mounted equipment category.

Nathan primarily specialises in the prevention of invasive non-native plants. He operates in a wide variety of sites including airports, railways, cemeteries, rivers, forests, nature reserves, construction sites and golf courses.

“It was an honour to receive the Award,” he said. “Myself and the company have always followed best practice so it’s a nice justification that we are doing things right,” he said.

Commenting on Nathan’s success, from a record entry in the third annual ASOY Awards, Professor John Moverley, Chairman of the Amenity Forum, said: ‘‘The Awards seek to recognise the quality and level of professionalism in our sector.They highlight how professional amenity maintenance Keeps Britain Moving.

“All of the Category winners have demonstrated an extremely high level of professionalism; picking an overall winner was extremely difficult,” he reported. “They have all demonstrated the exceptional skills of operators across the amenity sector - doing their jobs to an extremely high standard every day.

“Secondly they have exemplified the whole concept of the safe use of pesticides, being applied correctly and in a sustainable manner.”

Rain Bird has announced the appointment of Rigby Taylor as its golf products distributor for the UK market.

UK golf course managers will continue to access products through the UK-wide network of approved Rain Bird contractors, but they will now receive additional support, new product information and after-sales service from Rigby Taylor’s technical field sales force.

Rigby Taylor’s Chris Clark (right) and Jimmy Sandison of Rain Bird seal the deal

Chris Clark, Rigby Taylor's executive chairman, commented, "We are very pleased at this partnership agreement. The coming together of two such major industry names will bring significant synergistic benefits and our 50 plus team of highly skilled field personnel will be working closely with Rain Bird and its contractors to further establish this exciting range of products as the UK's brand leader."

Jimmy Sandison, regional sales manager for Rain Bird in the UK, Ireland, Iceland and Scandinavia explained, “We want to provide the very best levels of service and support to all of our customers. By having Rigby Taylor in place as a strong UK distribution partner for our golf course irrigation products, contractors and course managers will all benefit from a quicker, more efficient service.”

He added, “My expanding team and I will concentrate our technical expertise and irrigation know-how on educating and supporting customers in optimising the performance of their irrigation systems and in using water, energy and human resources more efficiently. We will also be focusing more of our time working with key partners who are designing and specifying new systems and those involved in course renovation projects.”

Kubota UK has announced it is extending its elite sponsorship of Aviva Premiership club Northampton Saints until 2020.

The manufacturer joined forces with Saints back in 2015, the company’s first ever sponsorship with a top flight sports team. Based on the success of the partnership, Kubota says it is looking forward to continuing its support for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons.

Dave Roberts, Kubota UK’s Managing Director, said, “Signing a new deal with Northampton Saints was an easy decision for us. Over the past 3 years that we have been involved with the club, it has proved itself to be an outstanding partner, delivering fantastic exposure for our brand, a high quality match day experience and, of course, a great way to showcase our products. Partnering with Saints aligns perfectly with our drive for excellence, and the desire to lead our respective fields. We’re delighted to be continuing to build on that over the next few years.”

As part of the deal, Kubota provides some of its groundcare solutions to help the Franklin’s Gardens Ground Staff maintain its pitches to the highest standards in the Aviva Premiership.

Mark Darbon, Saints CEO, is thrilled to see the relationship between the two organisations blossom. He commented, “This is a partnership in the truest sense of the word. Kubota UK has been a great asset to the club in recent years and we are delighted to have extended our partnership with them.

“At Saints, we set out to have the highest standards in every area of our organisation. This includes how we maintain our stadium pitch - one of only three natural grass pitches in the league - as well as our training facilities. Having the highest quality training and playing surfaces is vital in allowing the team to perform.

“By continuing our work with Kubota, we are helping build the best platform to realise our ambitions, and we are looking forward to working closely with the machinery manufacturer over the next two years.”

The elite sponsorship package also means Kubota receive a suite of commercial rights, from prime brand positioning on the back of the Saints playing shorts for all matches, to the Kubota logo featuring prominently in the stadium including on the big screen, on the perimeter advertising boards around the ground and in the matchday programme and matchday tickets. The sponsorship also includes corporate hospitality and player appearances for Kubota events.

Karen Tipping, Kubota UK’s Marketing Manager, concluded: “Rugby union has a really strong appeal with our dealer and end-user customers. As Saints are one of the leading professional rugby clubs in Europe, our sponsorship gives us the opportunity to extend the reach of the Kubota brand as well as further strengthen our relationships with our dealer and end-user customers.”

John Deere and the Ladies European Tour (LET) have announced an extension to their partner agreement from January 2018, during which Deere will continue to be designated the Tour’s official supplier of golf course maintenance equipment including mowers, tractors and Gator utility vehicles.

LET chairman Mark Lichtenhein (centre) with Deere’s European turf sales & marketing manager Carlos Aragones (left) and global turf marketing director Manny Gan

Under the terms of the agreement, LET tournaments - including The Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in September 2019 - will be supported by John Deere equipment through the company’s European golf dealer network. Deere officials will also continue to work closely with the LET’s agronomists, with the goal of helping to produce better quality playing surfaces across the continent.

The announcement was made by LET chairman Mark Lichtenhein on the John Deere stand at BTME in Harrogate on Tuesday this week (January 23 2018), together with John Deere’s global turf marketing director Manny Gan and European turf sales & marketing manager Carlos Aragones.

“We are delighted that John Deere has decided to extend its relationship with the Ladies European Tour for the next two years, beyond The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles,” said Mark Lichtenhein. “This is a testament to our enduring partnership since 2006 and demonstrates the alignment of our brands and our joint objective to ensure a bright future for the women’s game.”

Carlos Aragones added, “We are also delighted that what has already proved to be a fruitful relationship with the Ladies European Tour is continuing to grow. The strength of the John Deere brand is based on the quality of our products and customer service, and we are very proud to be associated with both the LET and The Solheim Cup.”

The Solheim Cup is the highlight of the women’s professional golf calendar, when the best women golfers from Europe and the United States compete for this prestigious biennial trophy. The next tournament takes place on the world-famous PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in Perthshire, Scotland from September 13-15, 2019.

BLEC, under the stewardship of Charterhouse Turf Machinery, announced their first new dealer appointment at BTME this week.

L-R: Dan from Acorn Tractors, Richard Lucas of Charterhouse and Julian Simpson, owner Acorn Tractors

Manager of the BLEC division, Curtis Allen said the wide variety of applications BLEC machines can satisfy requires a new network of dealers, and there has been a great deal of interest – the one criteria the company is demanding of new dealers being "a name renowned for quality and service".

Curtis said they would be appointing more Blec dealers based on merit and that they would not necessarily be existing Charterhouse dealers.

The first announced appointment is Acorn Tractors who are based in Derbyshire and stock tractors, mowers and other turfcare equipment from a range of established industry manufacturers.

Acorn Tractors owner Julian Simpson said, “We are delighted to have been appointed as BLEC dealers for the Central UK region. We have been involved with BLEC products for many years, both from using the machinery on contracting projects to selling as well.

"We look forward to offering BLEC machines for purchase or hire to new and existing customers.”

Curtis Allen also announced at BTME that in line with demand, the BLEC range has been rationalised to a number of core machines which sit happily alongside, as well as expanding, the current offering from Charterhouse in the UK. He also said, "Additionally, each of the models in the new BLEC portfolio have been refined and further developed thanks to Redexim’s manufacturing techniques to ensure maximum suitability and efficiency for the market."

BLEC's newly redesigned Turfmaker

One such example of product development is the Turfmaker which has now been updated to include a new seed control rate system, new seed feed mechanism and weight ballast kits, all alongside a new look.

Scamblers, who are based in Bourn, Cambridgeshire, have announced the appointment of Celtic Mowers Ltd, located in Swansea, as the Grasshopper dealer for south-west Wales.

A family run business, established back in 1977, Celtic Mowers is the largest horticultural dealer in South Wales. With over 100 years combined in-house experience and an excellent professional reputation, Scamblers say Celtic Mowers is a perfect match to represent the Grasshopper brand throughout the region.

Director of the Swansea-based dealership,Terry Flynn, said “We are delighted to be appointed by Scamblers as the Grasshopper dealer for south west Wales. We’ve long known about the quality of the Grasshopper product and now with a structured dealer support network headed by Scamblers in place, we are delighted to be a part of it. Our loyal customer base depends on us investing in the leading brands and we are delighted to welcome Grasshopper into our showroom”.

Ed Scambler commented, “After a recent visit we were impressed with the professionalism and friendliness of the staff at Celtic Mowers and look forward to developing a good working relationship."

R T Machinery Ltd (RTM), based at Nether Winchendon, Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire is the latest turf machinery dealership to join Price Turfcare's Ventrac network.

RTM was formed by md Richard Taylor in 2001. An independent company, RTM say their strengths lie in over 30 years experience, a keen interest in machinery and a willingness to provide a quality service and value for money.

Commenting on the appointment, Richard Taylor said, "Since Rupert Price launched his business just over a year ago, the Ventrac product has really begun to take off in the UK. 

"We're now getting out there and showing potential customers  just what it can do. Rupert has done a tremendous amount of groundwork in the past 12 months and it's certainly paying off as this industry is waking up to the potential of the multi-purpose machine."

Rupert Price, md of Price Turfcare, the UK and Ireland distributor of the Ventrac 4500 compact tractor, added, "We've been steadily building our dealer network over the past year and only taking on reputale dealers who we believe will add value to the brand.

"We require our dealers to be pro-active, focussed on the product and capable of providing exceptional customer back-up and support. RTM certainly meet those requirements and we're delighted to welcome them to the Ventrac family."