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BIGGA BTME cancelled for 2021

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BIGGA cancelled for 2021: The turf industry’s premier annual gathering, the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME), will not take place in January 2021 as anticipated, with an alternative ‘festival of turf’ planned for summer 2021.

The event’s organisers, the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association, has cancelled the popular trade exhibition due to the ongoing uncertainty relating to the coronavirus pandemic, having prioritised the health and wellbeing of its members, exhibitors, staff and other attendees.

BIGGA cancelled for 2021

BIGGA cancelled for 2021

The decision was taken following consultation with members of the association and regular dialogue with representatives of the Harrogate Convention Centre and other major stakeholders. It was agreed the hosting of a gathering of turf professionals from across the globe would create an unacceptable risk of infection, potentially putting lives at risk.

BIGGA’s world-leading education programme, Continue to Learn, is held alongside BTME each year and will still take place during January 2021, albeit as an online event and with an altered timetable designed to reflect the new digital platform. A full programme of speakers will enable BIGGA members to access the world class education they have come to expect from the comfort of home or at their place of employment.

The announcement of an alternative event in summer 2021 will enable BIGGA to explore options for hosting the event outdoors, which current understanding of the infectious disease indicates will make for a safe event and will allow improved social distancing measures to be implemented. It is hoped that many of the exhibitors who had signed up for BTME 2021 will support this cost-effective event and BIGGA will be liaising with exhibitors over the coming weeks to discuss the opportunities it presents.

The Harrogate Convention Centre, home to BTME since its inauguration as the European Turf Management Exhibition (ETME) in 1989, has been utilised as an NHS Nightingale Hospital since the peak of the outbreak in April and BIGGA is incredibly proud to be associated with a venue that has been transformed to enable the treatment of COVID-19 patients, should the need arise.

However, the alteration of dates will require a new venue to be found and discussions are underway with potential event hosts. Details will be released in due course.

It is anticipated that BTME will return to the Harrogate Convention Centre in January 2022.

BIGGA Chief Executive Jim Croxton said: “The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has sent shockwaves across our industry and BIGGA members have worked admirably in difficult circumstances to enable the continuing success of the facilities they maintain. The work they are doing in a safe and socially-distanced manner is admirable and has undoubtedly led to an increased confidence in golf as a safe pastime during these uncertain times.

“With member health and wellbeing being BIGGA’s absolute priority, it was immediately clear that to invite thousands of turf professionals from across the globe to attend an exhibition during a season when there is anticipated to be an increased risk of disease transmission would be negligent and expose attendees to undue risk.

“BIGGA considers it important to host an annual event and BTME plays a vital role in the calendar year for the turf industry. BTME is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the achievements of the previous year, while building new contacts and looking forward to the future. We feel it is important to retain this community spirit where possible, especially considering the hardships we have all faced, and so we are exploring the possibility of hosting a safe and accessible alternative event in summer 2021. I’m excited about the possibilities presented by this and am confident our new ‘festival of turf’ will be as exciting and influential as ever.”

BIGGA Head of Member Development Sami Strutt is responsible for the organisation of Continue to Learn, working with members to develop an engaging and relevant education programme each year.

Sami said: “Although the association will have no physical presence in Harrogate during January, we will be hosting Continue to Learn as a digital event and I’m certain the spirit of Harrogate week will be as strong as ever before.

“We have engaged with BIGGA members through our annual Members’ Choice survey and are in the process of building an incredible series of online learning that will enable BIGGA members to continue their professional development, wherever in the world they may be.”

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J Premier Pitch delivers reliability

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J Premier Pitch delivers reliability: With over 13 seasons of experience using Johnsons Sports Seeds J Premier Pitch mixture, Head Groundsman at Cardiff City FC Liam James confidently conducted his renovation during the lockdown period, without doubt that the pitch would be match-fit when play resumed.

In use at the Cardiff City Stadium, together with two of their other sites, the rapid establishment of J Premier Pitch has delivered a pitch that meets the Bluebirds requirements for both play quality and aesthetic appeal.

J Premier Pitch delivers reliability

J Premier Pitch delivers reliability

Under Liam’s remit is the Desso pitch at the main club stadium, another full size Desso and fibre-sand surface at the Cardiff International Sports Campus – home to U18’s, U23’s and Cardiff City FC Women – along with two further Desso GrassMaster systems at one of the club’s training grounds. Helping Liam with the maintenance is a team of six groundsmen, and Hewitt Sportsturf, who conduct the end of season renovations. “Our programme is thoroughly tried and tested, with Johnsons already firmly in place when I joined the club. All of these years later and we wouldn’t use anything other than J Premier Pitch across our sites, for both our renovations and routine overseeding.”

“With this mixture, we achieve a surface that retains good colour, consistency and deep roots – giving us the all-important wear tolerance. When the season re-started following the lockdown, fixtures were taking place thick and fast, putting the newly established pitch through its paces. Following our well-timed renovation, it delivered fantastic sward density and coverage.”

Like a lot of stadia, Liam struggles with shade, with some areas receiving no natural sunlight even in the peak of summer. “J Premier Pitch tolerates that really well, along with giving us great resistance to disease which means our single fungicide application is more for preventative purposes than anything else.” For a bit of additional winter strength, Liam’s regional DLF Technical Manager Ian Barnett suggested incorporating Johnsons J 4Turf into their cold season overseeding programme. Containing DLF’s 4Turf tetraploid perennial ryegrass, J 4Turf delivers rapid establishment under soil temperatures as low as 3oc for enhanced disease resistance and strength through the cooler conditions.

Liam concludes, “Getting us through the challenges we face with weather, disease and now big increases in wear, we’re fortunate that we have proven programme that we know we can rely on.”

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Dennis PRO 34R a time saver

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Dennis PRO 34R a time saver: Michael Watson, Turf Manager at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand, claims that his two recently purchased Dennis PRO 34R rotary mowers are saving the grounds team an incredible four hours of maintenance work compared to the previous mowers they were using.

The Forsyth Barr Stadium is New Zealand’s largest and most versatile events arena. Sitting proudly as an innovative Dunedin icon, it hosts a wide variety of sports, concerts, events and conferences.

Dennis PRO 34R a time saver

Dennis PRO 34R a time saver

Dunedin Venues Management is the company responsible for the upkeep and operations of the stadium and Michael oversees the maintenance of the pitch.

Since the stadium’s opening in 2011, the number of events taking place on the pitch has rapidly increased. With an old set of rotary mowers, Michael felt that it was time to invest in something new to keep the turf clean and healthy and to help combat such heavy usage.

“We used to have two small rotary mowers, but they took such a long time as they were small and slow,” he said. “The machines didn’t pick up much debris either and perhaps worst of all they did not have a roller on them.

“I felt that we needed something bigger which would pick up debris more effectively after training and certain events while maintaining a visually appealing field.”

With this in mind Michael began his research and was recommended the Dennis PRO 34R by Power-Turf – a Dennis and SISIS dealer in New Zealand. It immediately caught Michael’s attention.

“I know that Dennis supplies some of the world’s best turf maintenance machinery for many different sports and maintenance tasks,” he said. “I had also seen the Dennis G860 cylinder mower in action, so I was keen to find out more.”

The Dennis PRO 34R is a 34” (860mm) rotary mower which has been designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface. It is ideal for sports pitches and lawns producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently.

Many operators of the PRO 34R have praised the size and speed of the machines, claiming that they save a huge amount of time and resources.

“The time saving efficiency was a huge part of the decision to get these mowers,” said Michael. “They cut mowing hours down from 7 individual hours to between 2.5 and 3 hours so we therefore now save about 4 individual hours when using these mowers.

“Everything just works so well together on the PRO 34R. Starting at the front with the brush, through to the two rotary blades and the smooth rear roller.

“With the huge amount and wide range of events experienced on the Forsyth Barr Stadium field, having a machine to pick up debris quickly and effectively while maintaining a visually appealing pitch was crucial. Due to the busy events calendar with sports training sessions/events most weeks throughout the year and televised games from February until October, keeping the pitch clean from organic material with this machinery is a significant bonus.

“The ability to use them on game days shows how good these mowers are, considering the cut is from a rotary blade instead of your typical cylinder cut. The roller on the back also leaves a nice visual appearance on the turf.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

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

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New Speed-Seed from Charterhouse

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New Speed-Seed from Charterhouse: Launched in 2019, the new Redexim Speed-Seed from Charterhouse Turf Machinery offers a lot more than just a new livery.

Its remodelled variable seed rate calibration system makes the Speed-Seed one of the most accurate seeders available – ideal for overseeding large or small areas, quickly and with ease.

New Speed-Seed from Charterhouse

New Speed-Seed from Charterhouse

The popular range of dimple seeders has been extended to feature four width options – 1.1m, 1.5m, 2m and 2.3m. It utilises a spiked sarel roller, to create 990 holes per m2, and a rear brush which sweeps the delivered seed into the mass of holes down to depths of up to 20mm, leaving a groomed finish in its wake. An optional second spiked roller can be equipped to double the number of pockets created.

In addition to the new sizes and the new styling of the machine, the key introduction is a new seed calibration system. The metering sections make ratio adjustments simple and accurate, while a new mixing bar and individual seeding elements ensure good, even distribution and less wastage – even when sowing small bent grass seed.  The seed system is fed by a tray with a maximum capacity of up to 337 litres (in the 2.3m width variant), and all four models offer a seeding speed of 7.5mph.

One of the first venues to take delivery of the new Speed-Seed was Boat of Garten Golf Club in the Scottish Highlands. The Speed-Seed 1100 was very quickly put to use by Head Greenkeeper Michael Mann, after its delivery in July 2019, to recover some drought damaged fairways. “We had looked at three or four different makes and models, but the compact size of the Speed-Seed 1100 meant it could closely follow the contours and challenging terrain we have to work with across the site.”

Michael continues, “The set-up and controls of the machine are all nice and user-friendly, and it’s accurate seed calibration system is easy to operate and adjust. It’s a very clean machine, that leaves minimal surface disruption and hardly anything to tidy up in its wake.”

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3, 2, 1… GO

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3, 2, 1… GO: Reesink Turfcare has announced a package promotion offering an incredibly competitive deal on four of its most popular models in the TYM tractor range.

Customers looking to purchase a new tractor can benefit from a three-year ‘Bumper-to-Bumper’ warranty, two years’ interest-free finance and now the option to upgrade the tractor with a front loader for just £300 when purchasing either a T393, T433, T503 and T754 before the middle of September.

3, 2, 1... GO

3, 2, 1… GO

The package deal is available on just a limited number of tractors and is only available for a short period or while stocks last. Reesink’s Tractor Sales Manager Steven Haynes says: “Much of 2020 has been focussed on thinking about how we can best support our customers, working out the best deals and in this case the best combination of deals for this all-encompassing promotion that allows them to deliver what they need for their business and customers.

“Finances are under pressure in uncertain economic times, but that doesn’t change how vital having a reliable and economic tractor in the fleet is to get the job done properly. We chose these four tractors because they cover most applications and most turfcare requirements and are the models most widely sold, so we’re confident there’s something that will suit everyone.”

Let’s look at the benefits each aspect brings to the package: the new finance deal is interest-free for two years with two payments and 22 monthly repayments thereafter. The scheme is based on financing up to 60 percent of the tractor’s retail price.

The three year ‘Bumper-to-Bumper’ warranty brings peace of mind, says Steven: “It makes good business sense to ensure your tractor investment is cared for against any unforeseen expensive repair costs, and Reesink is offering protection on the whole tractor for three years or until 2000 hours, whichever comes first, at no extra cost.”

And finally in the new ‘3, 2, 1’ deal is the additional benefit of being able to upgrade the tractor with a new front loader for just £300, which is a significant saving when loaders can retail for over £3-5,000. Tractors are truly versatile machines and adding an optional attachment such as a front loader opens up their capabilities. Steven says: “We chose the front loader because it’s an indispensable piece of kit and a popular addition to a tractor. We feel that this combination of deals benefits the customer the most. They bring together an extremely cost-effective way to buy the attachment most likely needed, an achievable way to buy the tractor required now, and peace of mind.”

Steven concludes by saying: “We’ve never done a package promotion like this before, quite simply because we have never felt we needed to. Our deals are such that they stand alone for their competitiveness and the benefits they bring. However, we are renowned for bringing our customers more and these are unprecedented times, so we felt we needed to create something unique for our customers. It is without question a fantastic package which we hope offers customers a way to make a tractor purchase without worry.”

Promotion is applicable until mid-September and is strictly subject to stock. Finance is for business users only, subject to acceptance and only available in the UK. The £300 loader offer is only available as part of this package deal and not available to purchase separately. To find out more contact Reesink on 01480 226800 or email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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