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DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

April 10, 2025/in News, Press Release, Sport/by Admin

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves: Niall Hazlehurst, Head of Grounds at Warrington Wolves Rugby Club, has seen a remarkable improvement in the playing surface at The Halliwell Jones Stadium since introducing DSV’s EuroGrass PRO Pitch seed mixture. With a career spanning nearly two decades in the industry, Niall began his journey at Bolton […]

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team

April 10, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team: Rain Bird has appointed two new staff into its European Golf Team to support Rain Bird customers and further develop relationships with key partners and stakeholders. Eric Ableitner is a graduate of the University of Arkansas in International Business and also has an MBA from Oklahoma State University. With over […]

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

April 10, 2025/in News, Press Release, Sport/by Admin

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team

April 10, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

April 10, 2025/in News, Press Release, Sport/by Admin

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves: Niall Hazlehurst, Head of Grounds at Warrington Wolves Rugby Club, has seen a remarkable improvement in the playing surface at The Halliwell Jones Stadium since introducing DSV’s EuroGrass PRO Pitch seed mixture.

With a career spanning nearly two decades in the industry, Niall began his journey at Bolton Wanderers FC as an apprentice at the age of 16. He worked his way up to Deputy Head Groundsman before taking on the role of Head Groundsman at Rochdale. After a brief break from the industry, he returned as Head of Grounds at Fulham FC before making the move north to Warrington Wolves during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

At Warrington Wolves, Niall and his assistant Tom, an apprentice, manage the stadium pitch as well as two natural pitches at the club’s training ground.

“Last year was the first time we’d taken the top off with a fraise mow since before COVID,” explains Niall. “It was a big deal convincing the board to commit to this annually, so we wanted to make sure we got everything right in terms of nutrition and seed. The results have been fantastic, and the pitch has handled the usage really well.”

When considering the best approach for the pitch renovation, Niall turned to DSV and was introduced to their EuroGrass seed range, which was supplied by Indigrow.

“I made contact with DSV, had a really good chat, and we identified what we were looking for,” he says. “We decided to use the PRO Pitch mixture, and it has been brilliant. We applied it in August last year, and the colour, wear, and disease tolerance have been outstanding. Probably the best I’ve used, to be honest.”

Niall states that he was already aware of PRO Pitch being successfully used at other stadiums and private schools, which gave him additional confidence in the product. He also credits DSV for their expertise and support throughout the process.

“DSV is a great company and Sam Horner (DSV Amenity Business Manager) knows what he’s talking about and is someone you can trust,” says Niall. “If you ask him a question, he’ll give you an honest answer every time. He listened to what we wanted as a club and has been to our site a couple of times, even bringing some of the EuroGrass team to take a look at how the seed is performing.”

Since the team returned to training in November, the pitch has endured intense usage.

“We’ve had eleven high-intensity pre-season training sessions—each lasting two hours—from November to early February. That equates to about 15 games worth of wear,” explains Niall. “We only have one small lighting rig, so we rely on Mother Nature, which can be challenging, but the pitch has stood the test. The shaded areas are the best they’ve ever been, and even the coaches and fans have noticed the difference. There’s grass in some corners where there’s never been grass before.”

With the success of last year’s renovation, Niall is already planning ahead.

“We’ll be renovating again in July because we’ve got a good window in the fixture schedule. We’ll be doing exactly the same as last year because it worked so well. The germination and strike rate were excellent, and I have no reason to change something that’s working. I am also in discussions with the company about introducing a different DSV seed mix for the training ground pitches. I’ve got full confidence in DSV.”

As the flagship mix in the EuroGrass portfolio, PRO Pitch is designed for winter sports renovation. Containing only top-performing perennial ryegrass cultivars, it provides a visually appealing, dense sward with outstanding wear tolerance and recovery. With rapid germination and establishment, PRO Pitch has proven to be a game-changer at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Please visit www.dsv-uk.co.uk/products/amenity for more information.

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Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team

April 10, 2025/in News, People, Press Release/by Admin

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team: Rain Bird has appointed two new staff into its European Golf Team to support Rain Bird customers and further develop relationships with key partners and stakeholders.

Eric Ableitner is a graduate of the University of Arkansas in International Business and also has an MBA from Oklahoma State University. With over 15 years’ experience in the construction industry, he joins Rain Bird from Hilti after 12 years in a number of senior roles including Director of Aftermarket Services in Germany, Global Supply Chain Manager in the US, Head of Tool Services in the UK and most recently as a specialist for high-end Energy and Industry capital projects.

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team

As Regional Sales Manager North and Central Europe, based in the UK, Eric will lead the Rain Bird team to further develop Rain Bird’s presence in North and Central Europe, including in the key markets of the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the north of Eastern Europe.

Commenting on his new role Eric comments,

“I’m very excited about joining Rain Bird. This role is a new challenge, with a wider remit but Rain Bird’s premium products and sustainability focus are closely aligned with my previous experience and expertise. I’m very much looking forward to supporting customers in the months ahead.”

Christopher Miles, BSc (Hons), joins Rain Bird as Golf Sales Specialist to support and develop key elements of the golf industry in the UK. A keen golfer and an alumnus of University College Chichester in Sports Studies, he has a strong track record in commercial sales and business development in sports and software development industries.

Alastair Higgs, International Sales Manager for Golf comments,

“I am delighted to welcome Eric and Chris to the Rain Bird Golf team. They both have a breadth of commercial, sales and operational experience that will be invaluable and will significantly enhance our capabilities as a team.”

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)

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves: Niall Hazlehurst, Head of Grounds at Warrington Wolves Rugby Club, has seen a remarkable improvement in the playing surface at The Halliwell Jones Stadium since introducing DSV’s EuroGrass PRO Pitch seed mixture.

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team

Rain Bird strengthens European Golf Team: Rain Bird has appointed two new staff into its European Golf Team to support Rain Bird customers and further develop relationships with key partners and stakeholders.

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