SALTEX College Cup Winners to Work at 2018 Six Nations

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SALTEX College Cup Winners to Work at 2018 Six Nations: The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) has announced that the 2017 winners of the SALTEX College Cup will be given the opportunity to work as part of the grounds team when Scotland host England as part of the 2018 Six Nations Championships, at BT Murrayfield Stadium.

After making its successful debut at SALTEX last year, the College Cup will be returning to this year’s exhibition. Last year’s winners from CAFRE College in Antrim, Northern Ireland, experienced an unforgettable day when they were part of the Wembley grounds team at the showpiece of one of the UK’s most historic sporting competitions – the FA Cup Final.

SALTEX College Cup Winners to Work at 2018 Six Nations:

Sponsored by Ransomes, the national student-led academic test of turf management knowledge, will see teams competing this year to get their hands on the SALTEX College Cup. As well as having its name engraved on the trophy, the winning college will also receive a ‘big’ cheque in addition to a cash prize AND gain work experience at the 124th edition of the illustrious Six Nations Championships.

Commenting on the fantastic opportunity, Alex Latto, assistant head groundsman for Scottish Rugby at BT Murrayfield Stadium, said:

“The winners of the SALTEX college cup will be given the unique opportunity to experience the buzz of working at a Six Nations weekend at BT Murrayfield and the sporting rivalry of the Calcutta Cup always provides a special occasion. They will see and be involved in the pre-match day preparations, where both teams are given training time on the pitch and also the match day itself where the pressure is on to set the stage for a sell-out crowd and millions at home watching on television.

“Both days are a lot of work and provide their own set of challenges so it will give the winners a real insight of an event of this nature and the experience that comes with it. I think it’s important that new entrants to the industry are given the chance to experience what it’s like to work in this type of environment, to learn and gain experience – so for us to be given the chance to do so is something all the grounds team are looking forward to.”

Karen Proctor, International Marketing Manager at Textron Specialised Vehicles, also revealed that Ransomes is delighted to be sponsoring the event for a second successive year.

“We are very pleased to be sponsoring the SALTEX college cup again this year. Last year’s competition was a fantastic addition to the show, and it provides a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their knowledge. This year’s prize of helping out the ground staff at the Six Nations at BT Murrayfield Stadium is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we are looking forward to seeing which team walks away with the prize!”

SALTEX visitors will have the opportunity to see which team emerges victorious when the SALTEX College Cup winners’ presentations take place on the first day of SALTEX (1 Nov) in Seminar Theatre 1 at 3:30pm.

SALTEX 2017 is free to attend. To register your attendance and beat the queues visit www.iogsaltex.com

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Germinal At SALTEX 2017

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Germinal to focus on chart-topping ultra-fine ryegrass at SALTEX: Cabrio Ultra Fine Ryegrass is the most recent addition to Germinal’s portfolio of perennial ryegrasses for use on cricket squares, tennis lawns and golf tees.

Cabrio sits at the top of the BSPB’s Series L list for lawns, landscaping and summer sports thanks to a fineness of leaf scoring of 8.8 – half a point ahead of its nearest rival.

Germinal to focus on chart-topping ultra-fine ryegrass at SALTEX

“Cabrio easily outperforms its nearest rivals in terms of fineness of leaf and produces a harder wearing sward that can tolerate a close mowing regime and give good ball roll or bounce.”

Cabrio Ultra Fine Ryegrass is also the finest leaved variety on the BSPB’s G4 List for close mown conditions: when cut to 4-7mm Cabrio has a fineness of leaf score of 8.3 compared to its nearest rival at 8.0.

Cabrio is included in Germinal’s A5 Cricket, Tennis and Tees seed mixture where it is paired with Escapade, the “number 6” perennial ryegrass variety in the Series L list for 2017.   Cabrio is also included in Germinal’s A10 Golf Tees and Divot Repairs and A28 Ultrafine Ryegolf mixtures.

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Agronomics Launch ‘Nema-Go’

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Agronomics Launch ‘Nema-Go’: Agronomic Services Ltd are excited to be presenting their new Agronomic’s Range of liquid fertilisers at Saltex. Their new ranges include a unique nematode control product, Nema-Go and Dew Clear for dew control.

Agronomic Services Ltd has a UK and International distribution network, supplying the finest soil, liquid and foliar fertilisers, micro-nutrients, bio-stimulants, seaweed products, turf strengtheners and wetting agents.

Agronomics Launch ‘Nema-Go’

Oxy-RushTM for soil oxygen, Osiryl & Eon Bio for root development. We are proud to supply Floratine products, the best foliar nutrition in the world.

Renovation and grow-ins are our speciality. State of the art soil and water testing ensures accurate diagnosis for your turf.

David Snowden will be presenting a Seminar on Sports Pitch Renovation & Nutrition on Thursday 2nd November at 10.40am.

Enjoy a stress free Saltex – take a seat, rest your feet, collect your free Agronomic’s stress ball at Stand F100.

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John Deere at SALTEX 2017

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John Deere at SALTEX 2017. Stand no. E080

Three new machines from John Deere are making their UK & Ireland show debut at Saltex 2017 at the NEC, Birmingham in November – a top of the range diesel lawn tractor, an updated wide area rotary mower and a newly styled Gator utility vehicle.

The flagship X949 lawn tractor is one of three new models suitable for a wide range of private and commercial customers who require a powerful workhorse with the ability to carry out a variety of tasks all year round. The X949 features 4WD and four-wheel steer for the ultimate in traction and manoeuvrability, ideal for cutting grass in restricted spaces and around landscape features or obstacles.

John Deere at SALTEX 2017

The new X940 Series also includes the X940 and X948 models, and is available with both 2 and 4WD options in addition to four-wheel steer. All three machines are based on a heavy-duty frame design and are powered by a liquid cooled 24hp diesel engine. The modern digital dashboard has the look and feel of a car, and additional operator friendly benefits include an adjustable steering wheel and seat, cruise control and John Deere’s popular, easy to use Twin Touch pedal transmission.

Three rotary mower decks are available, including a 122cm (48in) AccelDeep unit and a 137 or 152cm (54 or 60in) high capacity deck with optional AutoConnect for instant drive-over connection. A further option is the innovative MulchControl system, which allows changing from side discharge to mulching or vice versa by the simple flip of a lever.

For extra year-round versatility, a wide range of front and rear mounted attachments and implements can be used, including material collection systems, utility carts, a front hitch, rotary brush and blade.

The XUV 865M Gator utility vehicle features the company’s quietest ever cab, more room for both driver and passengers and an extremely efficient heating system, including a windscreen defrost feature.

Boasting an 854cc, 23hp diesel engine, CVT transmission and power steering plus a top speed of 50kph, the XUV 865M offers a tight turning circle and optimal weight distribution for superior off-road performance. It can also be fitted with a wide range of over 90 attachments from snow blades to winches, and has a large 42-litre fuel tank.

The adjustable driver’s seat can accommodate three people for off-road use, while the versatile and durable cargo box has a load capacity of 454kg. Towing capacity has been increased by a third to 907kg and total payload capacity is 680kg.

Offering the ultimate in power, manoeuvrability and traction for large-scale commercial mowing operations, John Deere’s new Series III version of the 1600 Turbo WAM out-front rotary mower has a Stage 5 engine to meet the latest emission standards, plus an improved cooling system.

It features an overall cutting width of 3.25m (128in), a fully adjustable high-backed air suspension seat and run-flat castor wheel tyres to reduce downtime and increase productivity. Additional improvements include an increase in transport speed to 15mph and enhanced Service ADVISOR diagnostics for easy maintenance.

Featuring a proven mechanical 4WD system and an 83-litre (18gal) fuel tank, the mower is powered by a 60hp turbocharged Yanmar diesel engine with electronic engine control and a cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system for lower emissions.

The three robust rear-discharge mower decks are fabricated from 7-gauge steel, the thickest in the industry. Each wing has a breakaway feature that allows the mower deck to move back and away from any obstacle, then automatically reset to the normal working position.

Other operator friendly specifications include electronic cruise control, hydrostatic power steering and a tiltable steering wheel. In addition, the ROPS frame can be folded down easily without tools, for safe operation under tree canopies or in other confined spaces.

Find out more about John Deere’s full range of commercial mowers, lawn tractors and Gator utility vehicles at www.deere.co.uk.

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Hybrid is Pitchmark’s New Line

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Hybrid is Pitchmark’s new line: After working closely with a number of groundsmen at leading Premier League clubs, Pitchmark will be introducing their new Hybrid line marker at Saltex, complete with a lifetime warranty.

“A large number of stadium groundsmen use transfer markers for many good reasons,” says Mark Rodman, Pitchmark Managing Director, “it’s easier to lift the back wheels over intersecting lines, there’s balanced weight and groundsmen like to walk slowly.  With a transfer marker you are using the same amount of paint no matter how slowly you walk.”

Hybrid is Pitchmark’s new line

The problems with transfer markers, Mark points out, is that they only tend to coat the tips of the leaf, so to achieve the required result it is double marked.  This means thick paint on the leaf which takes much longer to dry, and can cause ‘ghosting’ of paint over the pitch.

The Pitchmark Hybrid overcomes these problems with a three-wheeled design for ease of use, especially over intersecting lines. The Hybrid feels like a transfer marker to use and is supplied with a range of nozzles to suit the user’s walking speed.

“The Hybrid cone nozzles give perfect leaf coverage, “Mark says: “The thin coating of paint dries extremely quickly so there are no issues with irrigation, rain, or ghosting.”

The Limited Edition UK-manufactured Hybrid uses highly-engineered front discs as the front wheel. Designed for use with Direct and Ecoline+ low-volume, ready-to-use paints, the Hybrid also features adjustable line width to suit different competitions.

Pitchmark are taking pre-orders now and welcome groundsmen to come along to stand E125 at Saltex.  You can call 01454 776666 or email sales@pitchmark.com to arrange a demo. www.pitchmark.com

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