Blog Elements - Turf Matters

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

July 18, 2025/in Education, News, Press Release/by Admin

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE: Following a record-breaking 2024 edition that delivered over 19 hours of expert-led content to more than 1,000 attendees, the UK’s largest free educational programme in grounds management returns to the NEC Birmingham on 12-13 November 2025. This year’s programme promises real-world insights for grounds professionals and volunteers at every level. […]

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success

July 18, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success: A host of the biggest brands in ground and turfcare were on show at Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day, at East Horton Golf Club on 3 July, attended by groundcare professionals and buyers from across Southern England. Wildwood Machinery Managing Director, James Bastian said: “We put on the […]

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

July 18, 2025/in Education, News, Press Release/by Admin

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success

July 18, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

July 18, 2025/in Education, News, Press Release/by Admin

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE: Following a record-breaking 2024 edition that delivered over 19 hours of expert-led content to more than 1,000 attendees, the UK’s largest free educational programme in grounds management returns to the NEC Birmingham on 12-13 November 2025.

This year’s programme promises real-world insights for grounds professionals and volunteers at every level. With CPD-accredited sessions, brand new cutting-edge topics and industry legends sharing their expertise, Learning LIVE is a must-attend feature of SALTEX 2025.

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

The programme has been more precisely tailored than ever, with sessions designed to meet the genuine needs of groundspeople. In fact, many visitors cite Learning LIVE as a key reason for attending the show.

Meet the Headliners:

Alan Ferguson, FIFA Senior Pitch Management Manager, kicks off with a deep dive into ‘The preparation and delivery of FIFA 2026 World Cup’. With nearly 50 years of experience, having overseen 23 FIFA tournaments across all six confederations and more than 1,000 stadium games globally, Alan will share exclusive insights from pitch research at Tennessee and Michigan State Universities, plus a behind-the-scenes look at this year’s FIFA Club World Cup.

“I’m really looking forward to speaking at SALTEX and sharing some of the behind-the-scenes insights into the preparation and delivery of the FIFA 2026 World Cup,” said Alan.

“It’s a unique challenge working across three countries with different climates and pitch technologies, so I’ll be touching on everything from hybrid stitching innovations to learnings from recent tournaments like the FIFA Club World Cup.

“Events like SALTEX are so important because they make high-quality, real-world education accessible to everyone in the industry – and that’s something I’m proud to support.”

Making his SALTEX debut, Graeme Beatt, Course Manager at Royal Portrush Golf Club, will deliver ‘Course success at the 153rd Open Championship’. Discover how Dunluce Links’ was prepared for this year’s Open Championship and the changes and challenges experienced since the event was last hosted at Royal Portrush six years ago.

Sustainability in Focus:

A standout panel tackles ‘Future-proofing turf management: Water resilience in a changing climate’, featuring:

Tony Hanson, Managing Director – Environmental Solutions International
Roger Davey, Managing Director – Irritech Limited
Mark Hunt, Technical Specialist – Prodata Weather Systems

Visitors can expect practical strategies on irrigation innovation, alternative water sources and weather-driven planning – all designed to help you build a resilient water strategy.

Funding for the Future:

Jack Matthews, Director of Programmes at the Football Foundation, shares the latest on multi-sport facility funding in ‘The Football Foundation’s multi-sport funding strategy’. From grassroots to national initiatives, Jack’s session is essential for community clubs and volunteers seeking funding to transform local sports facilities.

UEFA Insights & Hybrid Innovation:

A firm favourite at SALTEX, Lee Guerriero, Stadium Operations and Pitch Expert at UEFA, returns with ‘UEFA Champions League, Nations League final & Women’s EURO 2025 pitch preparations’. Lee, who manages UEFA’s pitch support programmes for major club and national competitions, has contributed to global events including the Olympics, FIFA World Cups and UEFA’s VAR and goal-line technology programmes.

He says: “I’ll be sharing insights from some of UEFA’s biggest recent events, including the Champions League and the upcoming Women’s EURO 2025. SALTEX is a brilliant platform for sharing that knowledge with the wider industry, and the fact that it’s freely accessible makes it even more valuable for those working hard behind the scenes.”

Finally, Neil Rodger, Principal Project Manager at STRI Group, rounds off the programme with ‘The pros and cons of different hybrid pitch surfaces’. Neil is an experienced consultant whose portfolio includes designing Saudi Arabia’s first turf horse racetrack and advising on elite football surfaces in the UK and internationally.

“SALTEX creates a rare space where grounds professionals can access top-class, free education, and I’m pleased to be part of a programme that supports learning across all levels of the industry,” says Neil.

“Hybrid pitches have come a long way in recent years, but understanding the differences is still a challenge for many clubs. I’ll be breaking down the pros and cons of each, with a practical focus on what’s right for different budgets and usage levels.”

SALTEX’s Learning LIVE is the largest dedicated learning programme in the grounds sector – and it’s completely free! Join us at the NEC, Birmingham, on 12-13 November 2025.

Register now and power up your skills with expert-led sessions that shape the future of grounds management. Everyone who has registered will be entered into a prize draw to win a Cramer Tools All Terrain Lawn Mower ATM53A, complete with charger and battery, worth £2,240!

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

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success

July 18, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success: A host of the biggest brands in ground and turfcare were on show at Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day, at East Horton Golf Club on 3 July, attended by groundcare professionals and buyers from across Southern England.

Wildwood Machinery Managing Director, James Bastian said: “We put on the Open Day to thank our partners, suppliers, staff and customers. It was an opportunity to showcase our growing range of state-of-the-art machinery, and I wanted to do it in an environment where everyone could relax and have a bit of fun, but also try putting the machinery through its paces.”

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success

“We’re very lucky that East Horton Golf Club is a core part of our family business and it proved to be the perfect venue. Lots of our guests were also able to enjoy a round of golf as part of the day – a perfect mix of business and pleasure!”

“We can all sit at our desks sending emails and making phone calls”, says James, “but ultimately, we want the end user to get their hands on this equipment and see just how good it is.”

Manufacturers showcasing their wares included: Aspen, DeWalt, ECHO Robotics, Gambetti Amenity & Golf, INFINICUT, ISEKI, Jacobsen, Ransomes, Raymo, RovMo, Stogger and Wessex International.

According to James Bastian, the Wildwood Machinery Open Day was “such a huge success that we’re already looking forward to doing it again next year – but bigger and better!”

“The whole environment had a lovely vibe about it today. We’ve had great support from our manufacturers and our customers have turned out in force. What more could we have asked for?”

The next major event for Wildwood Machinery, marking the company’s rapid growth since launching in 2022, is the opening of a purpose-built new showroom and headquarters on the East Horton site, scheduled for late 2025.

With a growing number of elite sports clubs, local authorities, estates and schools tapping into Wildwood’s unmatched range of manufacturer partnerships and reliable after-sales service, the business has grown steadily throughout 2025, necessitating more showroom and workshop space.

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

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

Headline speakers for Learning LIVE: Following a record-breaking 2024 edition that delivered over 19 hours of expert-led content to more than 1,000 attendees, the UK’s largest free educational programme in grounds management returns to the NEC Birmingham on 12-13 November 2025.

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success

Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day a success: A host of the biggest brands in ground and turfcare were on show at Wildwood Machinery’s first Open Day, at East Horton Golf Club on 3 July, attended by groundcare professionals and buyers from across Southern England.

RESOURCES

CONTACT

CONNECT