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NEWS ARTICLES

Edgar Street’s Award Winners

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Edgar Street’s Award Winners: Ben Bowen, head groundsman at Edgar Street, has received an accolade for his dedication and effort in keeping the pitch in pristine condition.

His ‘dedication and hard work’ saw Bowen and his Highground Maintenance team clinch third place in the Southern League Groundsman of the Year award last week.

The last 12 months has seen the pitch covered deep in snow, subject to a deluge of rain and starved of natural water during the summer months.

Despite this all of the club’s Southern league fixtures were played on their original planned dates last season.

However, it was the televised FA Cup home tie against Fleetwood Town which had St George’s Park talking during the presentation day.

“If they knew Herefordians they would know that if ever something major comes about we all chip in,” said Bowen who attended the awards alongside Ben Millward and Morgan Lewis.

“Every game there is pressure as every game is huge and everything evolves around the pitch. If we can’t get the game on everything else suffers including the revenue.

“But the Fleetwood match was panic stations on the Monday morning and I knew how big that game was for the club and the big revenue involved. “I was quite speechless by the number of volunteers when I got to Edgar Street I just thought ‘how have we done this?”

Bowen arrives on a matchday at 6am to mow the pitch and volunteers at the ground until 7pm at night in addition to his contracted work for the club.

The Edgar Street pitch is mowed three or four times a week and fertilised.

“I’m called head groundsman but have a team of boys behind me and the force of volunteers,” added Bowen.

“Throughout the match I watch the ball the whole game and keep a diary so on Monday morning I know what to do.

“I might need to cut the grass shorter or see an area that needs more watering. I have brought that down with me from league one and two and treat the pitch as that standard.

“I know what the Edgar Street pitch can do and how she can alter. At the moment it’s not right in my eyes with the drainage lines which is down to the weather and come October it will be a totally different pitch.

“When it goes right I can just sit back and monitor it but when the pitch goes wrong I can be a grumpy bugger and one slight bobble can do my head in.”

Bowen’s nephew is Hull City midfielder Jarrod Bowen and the groundsman feels he wants to help the club in return for the help they gave him.

“I personally want to stick my head on the line for manager Pete Beadle because of what he did for Jarrod as he didn’t have to,” added Bowen.

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Makita Return To BALI Zone At SALTEX

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Makita Return To BALI Zone At SALTEX: This year’s SALTEX exhibition takes place at Birmingham’s NEC on 31 October – 1 November, and Makita will once again be exhibiting on K190d in Hall 6, and are returning to the BALI Zone.

The BALI Zone features and promotes leading BALI registered affiliate and contractor members.  Also confirmed for this year are Boningale Nurseries, Green-tech, British Sugar TOPSOIL, EverEdge and YMCA Training.

Makita Return To BALI Zone At SALTEX

The Makita UK stand will showcase the ever-growing garden machinery range suitable for professional landscaping contractors, groundsmen and forestry workers.

“We are really looking forward to returning to the BALI Zone at this year’s Saltex and to be teaming up with other leading names in the landscaping industry,” says Mark Earles, Business Development Manager, Makita UK.  “There will be a focus on our expanding cordless range but visitors will be able to learn about the entire collection including our petrol and electric models.”

The 18V battery platform makes it economically viable for the tool owner as there is the option to purchase the ‘body only’ version for those who already own batteries for their other Makita power tools.   This battery platform has set an industry benchmark but still continues to expand with innovations such as the twin-18V technology which can power a 36V motor.

Using battery powered grounds care machines means that exhaust emissions are zero – petrol engine exhaust fumes are eliminated and the risk of ground contamination from spilt petrol and oil is removed altogether. Many Makita grounds-care machines offer a considerable reduction in vibration and can be used all day without harm to the operator.  Makita’s battery powered tools are significantly quieter than petrol machines whilst still delivering a professional performance. This quiet approach means teams can work around parks, schools, hospitals and cemeteries without causing nuisance and annoyance.

SALTEX is the UK’s national event for grounds care, sports turf, amenities, estates and green space management, as well as turf care and specialist machinery, landscaping and playgrounds.  Free to visit, SALTEX is the UK’s biggest event for the grounds care sector.  Register here www.iogsaltex.com/visitor-registration

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FA’s Groundsman Award Winners

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FA’s Groundsman Award Winners: It’s that time of the year when the FA hold their Groundsman of the Year Awards, and five clubs from the three National League divisions won awards.

Aldershot Town’s Colin Wilson was the overall winner as he kept the EBB surface is exceptional condition.

He not only did he received a trophy he also secured prize money of £12,500 to be spent on equipment.

Other award winners were Charlie Kerr from Dartford, Curzon Ashton’s Nick Wild, Daniel Hunter and Declan Robinson of Boreham Wood.

FC United of Manchester’s Graham Byrne was also honoured by the FA, with the support of award backers Budweiser.

Geoff Terrell, the chairman of the FA Facilities Committee, said: “Together we recognise the valuable contribution ground staff make up and down the country in all winds and weather.

“This was truly brought home when a Q&A session lead by the Head Groundsman from Wembley and St George’s Park discussed the trials and tribulations of the recent hot weather.

“This summer has been a testament to their fortitude and experience in ensuring teams have a good surface to play on.”

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John O’Gaunt’s Hole Refresh

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John O’Gaunt’s Hole Refresh: John O’Gaunt Golf Club in Bedfordshire have refreshed a par three hole at the course, enhancing it with a 1500m2 lake featuring two Otterbine fountains and eight Toro Infinity sprinklers.

Course manager Nigel Broadwith explains the reasons behind the renovation of hole four: “Constantly improving the two courses is of paramount importance to the long-term success of the club. The fourth hole on the John O’Gaunt course has always been a picturesque hole, however, its location on a floodplain meant it was susceptible to flooding. The renovations included raising the fairway level to take this into account, as well adding to its beauty with a new lake.”

John O’Gaunt's Hole Refresh

Nigel, and head greenkeeper Kevin Armstrong, chose two Otterbine Sunburst aerating fountains, from UK distributor Reesink Turfcare. Both are three horsepower units but one has a one horsepower impeller for the smaller end of the lake and the other has a two horsepower impeller for the wider end. The reasons for these choices were primarily aeration, to the keep the water clean and clear all year round, and secondarily for aesthetic purposes.

Nigel continues: “We wanted to make this lake a feature of the course and therefore wanted an aerating system with the capabilities to present a fountain. The lake is in a slightly windy position and what appealed especially with the Sunburst is the fact that the fountain has a heavier droplet, which means the wind wouldn’t blow the droplets away and disrupt its presentation. It’s a lovely addition not just to the hole, but the course.”

Four years ago, John O’Gaunt’s Carthagena course had its irrigation system updated to Toro Lynx and Golf Decoder Controller irrigation system, operated with dual trajectory series full or part circle sprinklers, and as that concluded it became the turn of the John O’Gaunt course. This time Nigel chose Infinity:

“The system on Carthagena has performed brilliantly,” he says. “It was always the plan that we would move straight on to updating the John O’Gaunt course sprinklers after Carthagena, and as we finished Infinity launched in the UK. I was immediately impressed with their accessibility for maintenance and made the decision that we should try this new technology on the John O’Gaunt course.”

The addition of four Infinity sprinklers on the fairways and four on the greens too, means that Nigel is half way through renovating the 18 holes on the John O’Gaunt course with Infinity. Nigel says he aims to have the remaining nine updated within the next three years.

According to Robert Jackson, irrigation field sales manager at Reesink, this is a classic example of how the little things can make big differences, he says: “The inclusion of a fountain in a new or existing lake can so easily elevate it to being a beauty spot. Similarly, the John O’Gaunt course installation shows how innovation through renovation can be easily and gradually applied to an irrigation system.”

If either appeals, Reesink Turfcare is just a phone call away on 01480 226800 to helping make this happen.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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ISEKI’s Dealer Network Expansion

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ISEKI’s Dealer Network Expansion: ISEKI have announced that Medland, Sanders & Twose (MST) have joined their dealer network after making the switch from a competitive tractor brand.

MST are a well-known and established dealer trading through Devon, parts of Cornwall and parts of Somerset with depots in Tiverton, Lee Mill and Yeovil. Their joining ISEKI complements the exiting dealer network and will give customers even more reason to buy ISEKI products.

ISEKI's Dealer Network Expansion

Nigel Godefroy,  Director of MST Group commented “We are delighted to have the opportunity to serve our customers with the ISEKI product range, having been with a competing brand for the last 40 years we were concerned that this might be a big upheaval for us and our customers, but the transition has been really smooth and we have already had customers change orders from our previous brand to ISEKI”

David Withers, Managing Director of ISEKI expressed his pleasure with MST joining ISEKI “it is great to have MST on board and look forward to working with them in the future. Since launching the company in January this year it has been very encouraging to see the volume of dealers who would like to represent ISEKI and benefit for our growing sales and share gain across the sectors we serve” he went on to say “we continue to have openings for dealers in some areas and are happy to discuss opportunities with interested parties who share our commitment to Customer service and relationship building”

Dealers interested in representing ISEKI should contact ISEKI UK at sales@iseki.co.uk  or call 01473 599266

For more information, visit: www.iseki.co.uk

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