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Calling All Grounds Care Heroes

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Calling All Grounds Care Heroes: Nominations and entries are now open for the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) Industry Awards and, this year, we’re turning up the excitement!  

Anfield Stadium, the iconic home of Liverpool FC, will be the new backdrop for this prestigious event on Thursday 13 March 2025.

Calling All Grounds Care Heroes

Calling All Grounds Care Heroes

Breaking new ground, the Industry Awards are making their debut at Anfield Stadium, following previous editions at Headingley Stadium and the NEC alongside Europe’s premier grounds management show, SALTEX.

Since 2009, the GMA Industry Awards have celebrated outstanding achievements in grounds care across professional, amateur, and voluntary sectors, spanning a variety of sports. But this year it’s extra special, as it kicks off the GMA’s annual awareness campaign: #GroundsWeek, running from March 17 to 23, 2025. ISEKI returns as the Industry Awards platinum sponsor for 2025, reaffirming their support for the sector, alongside award category sponsors, DLF Seeds and Syngenta.

Shifting from its traditional November date to March, these awards now support the vital mission of #GroundsWeek, honouring the unsung heroes – the grounds care professionals and volunteers who keep the nation’s playing surfaces pristine!

Categories That Inspire Greatness: 

With 17 categories spanning the entire sector, the GMA Industry Awards provide the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on the year-round contribution of grounds staff towards maintaining and improving playing surfaces.

  • Young Groundsperson of the Year – Recognising rising stars
  • Newcomer of the Year – Welcoming fresh talent
  • Volunteer Groundsperson/Team of the Year – Honouring those who go above and beyond
  • Community Groundsperson/Team of the Year – Making a difference in local sports
  • Best Managed Artificial Surface of the Year – Innovation on display
  • Environmental and Sustainability Impact Award – Champions of eco-friendly practices (Sponsored by Syngenta)
  • Bowls & Croquet Groundsperson/Team of the Year – Precision and passion
  • Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year – Pitch-perfect excellence
  • Professional Tennis Courts Grounds Team of the Year – Serving up aces in turf management
  • Professional Horse Racing Grounds Team of the Year – Galloping towards excellence
  • Professional Rugby League Grounds Team of the Year – Tackling pitches head on
  • Professional Rugby Union Grounds Team of the Year – Scrumming up perfection
  • Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year – Scoring perfection, the MVPs behind the scenes
  • Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (Elite) – Elevating the game, making stadiums roar
  • University & College Grounds Team of the Year - Cultivating knowledge and green spaces
  • Independent School Grounds Team of the Year – Nurturing growth in every blade (Sponsored by ISEKI)
  • GMA Grounds Manager of the Year – Celebrating the very best across the industry  (Sponsored by DLF Seeds)

Sarah Hunter, Head of Events at the GMA said:
“The GMA Industry Awards are a fantastic opportunity for individuals and teams to gain the recognition they deserve for their vital work across the grounds care industry. I urge everyone to get involved and submit their nominations – It’s going to be a great event at Anfield Stadium, and we look forward to celebrating the outstanding achievements.”

Are You Ready to nominate or enter?

You can now nominate someone deserving, or enter yourself, by visiting https://gmaindustryawards.uk/. We encourage everyone in the industry to join in and celebrate the outstanding work being done in the grounds care industry.

Important Dates: 

  • Award Nominations Close: Friday 13 September 2024
  • Final Entries Close: Friday 27 September 2024

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Emily Herrington by emailing eherrington@thegma.org.uk.

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DSV to Unveil EUROBEAT at GroundsFest

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DSV to Unveil EUROBEAT at GroundsFest: DSV is set to make a significant impact at this year’s GroundsFest, introducing their latest innovation in grass seed, EUROBEAT, on stand 29. The event will take place on September 10 and 11 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, offering attendees a chance to discover this high-performing addition to DSV’s renowned range of grass seed.

Introducing EUROBEAT

EUROBEAT is a top-tier ryegrass specifically bred for sports applications. Its performance in the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) test series has been outstanding, earning a TOP 10 rank and demonstrating the superior capabilities of DSV’s turfgrass breeding department. EUROBEAT boasts exceptional summer and winter appearance scores, setting it apart as a top performer in traffic tolerance, crucial for sports pitches.

DSV to Unveil EUROBEAT at GroundsFest

DSV to Unveil EUROBEAT at GroundsFest

Key Benefits of EUROBEAT:

Optimised for Sports Pitches: EUROBEAT’s design caters specifically to the rigorous demands of sports environments.

Superior Wear Resistance: With a 20% improvement over standard ryegrass, EUROBEAT excels in durability.

Year-Round Performance: High aspect scores in both summer and winter ensure a consistently attractive and resilient turf.

Ideal for Overseeding: EUROBEAT’s characteristics make it perfect for enhancing older pitches and supporting autumn sowing for winter appearance boosts.

EUROBEAT’s versatility makes it an excellent choice for renovation mixtures, providing an upgrade in both performance and quality for existing sports fields.

Explore More EuroGrass Mixtures

In addition to EUROBEAT, GroundsFest attendees will have the opportunity to learn about other high-performing EuroGrass mixtures, each tailored for specific sports turf applications.

Featured Mixtures:

EG PRO Rye Fairway: Ideal for golf fairways and roughs, this mixture is designed to handle moderate to high levels of play, ensuring robust and resilient turf.

PRO Summer Sport: Perfect for cricket squares, tennis courts, and golf tees, this mixture offers outstanding recovery and strong shoot density, meeting the demands of extreme hard wear sports.

PRO Pitch: The flagship mix in the EuroGrass portfolio, PRO Pitch is tailored for winter sports pitches, providing exceptional wear tolerance and recovery with top-performing perennial ryegrass cultivars.

PRO Multi Sport: Designed for dual-use facilities and drought tolerance, this mixture ensures excellent sward density, good wear tolerance, and increased drought resilience, making it suitable for sports pitches and academic facilities.

Don’t miss the chance to visit DSV at stand 29 to explore how EUROBEAT and other EuroGrass mixtures can elevate the quality and performance of your sports turf.

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Suståne delivers consistent quality

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Suståne delivers consistent quality: As the old saying goes ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’. That’s certainly the motto for Came Down Golf Club in Dorchester, who have been using a nutritional programme from Suståne on their greens for over 30 years and explain that it continues to give them controlled growth, outstanding colour and enhanced plant health year after year.

Established in 1896, Came Down is a chalk-downland course nestled in the Dorset countryside which has strong historical links with some of golf’s most important institutions including The R&A, The Ryder Cup and The Open. While James Lockwood has been at the venue for 18 years, and Head Greenkeeper for the last three, he admits that the club’s relationship with Suståne goes much further back. “We think Suståne has been used here for roughly 35 years, making us one of the first clubs in the UK to use their products!”

Suståne delivers consistent quality

Suståne delivers consistent quality

James’ current programme, constructed in conjunction with Suståne’s Russell Riley and local distributors Agrovista, includes Suståne 10-1-4 as a spring starter, 5-2-10+Fe applied at lower rates and regular intervals throughout the summer and 5-2-4 to keep the greens ticking over in winter. “This is the tried and tested combination which works perfectly for us” he says.

“Firstly it’s great that it’s all organic. The club are keen to utilise more sustainable solutions and this programme, in conjunction with some of our cultural practices, has helped us to pretty much eliminate the use of fungicides. Secondly we like the control it gives us – no massive flushes of growth, just a steady, healthy growth pattern that leaves the greens looking immaculate and playing well year-round.”

James adds, “We have a couple of greens in shaded spots that have previously struggled with Fusarium. With a bit of trial and error, we’ve found that upping the rate of Suståne 5-2-10 through the back end of the summer, and 5-2-4 in the winter has helped us to limit the impact on these specific areas. It’s becoming increasingly important that we all try and resolve these issues using science and clever microbiology rather than relying on chemicals.”

“Another thing we like is that the granules are nice and fine which means we can apply it exactly when we need to without risking any interruption to play.” He concludes, “It’s testament to the continual quality and results that we rarely have to stray away from the programme that has been so pivotal to things here at Came Down for so long.”

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STRI Group welcomes Sarah Hosmer

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STRI Group welcomes Sarah Hosmer: STRI Group is pleased to announce Sarah Hosmer will be joining the business as Principal Consultant.

Bringing her wealth of expertise to the role, Sarah will help to maintain and enhance STRI’s position as leaders in major sports surface design projects across the globe.  With a reputation for her work within the equestrian sector, Sarah will be an integral part of delivering support to new and existing equine clients, as well as working closely with the design and engineering team to develop design techniques from internal research.

STRI Group welcomes Sarah Hosmer

STRI Group welcomes Sarah Hosmer

Tina Jessop, Head of Brand, People and Client Experience commented, “We are delighted to welcome Sarah to the Group, her technical expertise and strategic leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow and develop our services within the UK and internationally. Sarah is a tremendous asset to the Group, and we look forward to welcoming her to the team.”

For more information about the services STRI Group offers, or to enquire please visit www.strigroup.com or email enquiries@strigroup.com

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Explore SISIS’s Innovations at GroundsFest

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Explore SISIS’s Innovations at GroundsFest: GroundsFest 2024 attendees can look forward to seeing SISIS in Outside Area A on stand number OSA170, where a variety of innovative turf maintenance products will be on display.

This year, the focus will be on three key products: the Quadraplay, the Variseeder, and the Rotorake TM1000. In addition to these highlights, visitors will have the opportunity to explore other products from the extensive SISIS range.

Explore SISIS’s Innovations at GroundsFest

Explore SISIS’s Innovations at GroundsFest

Quadraplay: Versatile Maintenance System

The Quadraplay is a multi-functional maintenance system that can perform up to four operations simultaneously. It’s compatible with any tractor with a 3-point linkage, making it versatile for use on natural turf and hard porous surfaces. Key features include interchangeable implements, adjustable settings, and robust construction for low maintenance.

Variseeder: Efficient Overseeding

The Variseeder is a compact, tractor-mounted overseeder ideal for renovation and repair work. It features a studded roller that prepares the seedbed, variable seed rates, and easy attachment to any tractor. Overseeding can be done without disrupting play, making it a convenient and efficient solution.

Rotorake TM1000: Thatch Management

The Rotorake TM1000 is designed for effective thatch removal and control. It features quick-release interchangeable reels, contra-rotating blades for a clean cut, and a floating unit that follows ground contours. The machine ensures fast ground coverage and easy depth adjustment, making it a reliable choice for turf maintenance.

Don’t miss the opportunity to discover how the Quadraplay, Variseeder, and Rotorake TM1000 can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your operations.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter or Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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