Tag Archive for: Live

Machinery and live demos at Midlands Machinery Show

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Machinery and live demos at Midlands Machinery Show: Farmers and contractors are invited to step out of the yard and into a full day of machinery, technology and hands-on innovation at this year’s Midlands Machinery Show, taking place on Wednesday 19 November at Newark Showground.

Now in its eleventh year, the show returns with a new one-day format that puts machines, demonstrations and innovation at the heart of the event.

Machinery and live demos at Midlands Machinery Show

Machinery and live demos at Midlands Machinery Show

Free to attend, exhibitors’ stands will showcase new tractors, implements, ATVs and engineering solutions, alongside expert-led talks and opportunities to earn BASIS and NRoSO points ahead of year-end.

“Having everything all in one place and all in one day is our vision for this year’s show,” says Elizabeth Halsall, Events and Development Manager at the Newark & Notts Agricultural Society, which organises the event. “Time away from the business is precious, so we want to give visitors a productive, information-packed day, as well as a social and networking opportunity with their community.”

Ticket registration is free at www.midlandsmachineryshow.com and visitors are advised to pre-register for fast entry.

Those attending can expect to see machinery that’s never been to the show before, as well as a host of demonstrations in the dedicated arena, plus a hands-on experience of all-terrain vehicles.

New kit and features

New for 2025, attendees can get behind the wheel of the Can-Am Traxter HD9, with its heated cab and 65hp Rotax V-twin engine, on the showground’s off-road track. Driving experiences are being provided by 158 Performance.

Chandlers will present two AGCO tractors never before seen at the Midlands Machinery Show – the powerful Valtra S Series and the Fendt 832 Vario Gen 5.

AMTEC will make a high-profile appearance with its new Torox range of heavy-duty discs, which the company says has been built for tough soils and engineered for versatility and precision.

Taylor Attachments returns with new buckets and muck grabs accompanying its proven range of heavy-duty attachments.

Long-standing exhibitor Russells will – alongside its stable of New Holland, Polaris, Stewart and Teagle produces – bring the Horizon DSX drill to show in the demonstration ring.

Debuts for service sector exhibitors

Several new exhibitors will make their debut this year.

Fox Engineering brings its expertise in LOLER, PUWER and PSSR safety inspections, helping farms stay compliant and avoid costly downtime.

Fireward joins the show for the first time, raising awareness of automatic fire suppression systems that prevent machinery and combine fires through instant pneumatic detection and targeted extinguishing agents. “At the moment, not enough farmers realise that fire suppression systems are an option,” says Caroline Wilson, Fireward National Sales Manager for Agriculture. “Our focus is on education – showing that there are affordable, practical ways to protect people, machinery and infrastructure.”

Beyond machinery, the show offers a packed day of networking, learning and advice designed to help farmers make confident decisions for the year ahead.

The NFU Midlands Environment Conference, chaired by NFU President Tom Bradshaw, will explore ‘Adapting Farming for the Future: Sustainable Production, Products & Markets’, offering practical insight into policy changes, sustainability and business resilience. With agricultural policy at a crossroads, these expert-led sessions provide essential guidance to strengthen farm businesses across the region and beyond.

Exhibitors are also ready to help visitors tackle the industry’s wider challenges. Openfield, the UK’s only farmer-owned grain marketing cooperative, will share expert insight on planning ahead amid market volatility and changing support payments. “There’s never been a more important time to talk about what goes in the ground,” says Jerome Fielder, Head of Farm Business Team at Openfield. “We’ll be there to offer straight-talking advice, whatever the question.”

Optimal Risk Group will launch its Rural SafeGuard Programme, providing security training and risk management solutions to help farmers protect their assets from crime. “We help farmers not just respond to rural crime, but reduce the opportunities for it to happen in the first place,” explains Frank Cannon, Senior Consultant at Optimal Risk.

Visitors can also find confidential guidance from The Farming Community Network (FCN) on topics from mental health to succession planning. “There are so many factors outside farmers’ control right now,” says Rachel Davey, Marketing and Events Officer at FCN. “We’re here to help them find a way forward and secure their businesses for the next generation.”

“Whether you’re exploring new machinery, looking for smarter solutions or simply catching up with suppliers and colleagues, the Midlands Machinery Show is a day built around real conversations and quality connections,” says Elizabeth. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to Newark this November for a day that truly celebrates innovation, resilience and the future of British agriculture.

“Register in advance online now for smooth, free access to the event on the day.”

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Record-Breaking Turf Science Live 2025

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Record-Breaking Turf Science Live 2025: Turf Science Live 2025 drew record attendance in Ireland and strong engagement in Scotland, underlining the continued demand for practical, research-led learning in turf management.

Organised by ICL and Syngenta, the series brought together turf professionals to explore the latest research and technology. Held at Carton House and Fairmont St Andrews, delegates rotated through technical stations covering precision spray application, precision nutrition, adapting disease control to a changing climate, building fertilisers for the future, and the role of biostimulants in turf management.

Record-Breaking Turf Science Live 2025

Record-Breaking Turf Science Live 2025

Reflecting on this year’s events, Colman Warde, Country Manager for ICL in Ireland, said: “Turf Science Live is about creating a learning environment where turf professionals can see new technologies and innovations in practice and ask questions directly to the people behind them. The feedback has been outstanding again this year, and it is clear that events like these help greenkeepers and grounds teams take away practical knowledge they can apply straight away.”

A highlight of the St Andrews event was a presentation from The R&A on Championship Agronomy, giving attendees a rare insight into how world-class playing surfaces are prepared and maintained for major tournaments.

Delegates represented every level of the industry, from apprentices and assistant greenkeepers through to course managers, superintendents, agronomists, and head grounds staff. The mix of practical experience and perspective added to the open discussion and knowledge-sharing across both events.

Sarah Hughes, Business Manager at Syngenta, noted: “At Turf Science Live we focused on two key areas for turf managers: precision spray application and adapting disease control to a changing climate. From practical sprayer set-up and new nozzle technology to strategies for managing turf health under more unpredictable weather patterns, the sessions showed how Syngenta research is being translated into real-world solutions.”

Neil Holger, Course Manager at Hamilton Golf Club, who attended the St Andrews event, said: “For me, the best thing about Turf Science Live is finding out what’s new and what’s coming, but also the networking. As course managers and greenkeepers we’re always busy, so it’s good to catch up, hear what others are doing, and speak to the experts. It’s always a worthwhile day out.”

With positive feedback from both venues, Turf Science Live will return in 2026, continuing to bring innovation and applied knowledge directly to turf professionals.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

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Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025: The industry’s largest free education offering, Learning LIVE, is back for SALTEX 2025, delivering its biggest and most tailored programme to date.

Following a record-breaking 2024 that saw more education hours delivered than ever before and over 1,000 attendees engaging with sessions, this year promises even more opportunities to power up your skills and gain accredited CPD points.

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

With pressures mounting on grounds teams to deliver high-quality playing surfaces and green spaces, Learning LIVE provides real-world insights and sector-first knowledge, completely free of charge.

Among the highlights is James Haskell, one of the most recognisable personalities in sport. In his headline session, High Performance Mindset: Lessons from the Pitch to the Boardroom, James will draw on his career as a professional rugby player, media personality and entrepreneur to explore the role of elite playing surfaces in sporting success.

A first for 2025 will be the GMA NextGen’s takeover of Learning LIVE. Made up of talented young professionals dedicated to championing the industry and inspiring the next generation, NextGen will lead two dedicated Spotlight Stage sessions. Covering diversity in the industry and youth engagement, the sessions will see alumni share their own journeys into grounds management, their role as changemakers and ideas for attracting more young people into the sector.

Sarah Hunter, Head of Events at the Grounds Management Association (GMA), said: “Learning LIVE has become a cornerstone of SALTEX and of the wider industry. It’s the largest free education programme of its kind and it continues to grow in scale and impact.

“This year, we’ve worked hard to make the content more tailored than ever before, shaped around the real challenges and opportunities faced by people on the ground. It’s about equipping professionals at every level with knowledge they can take straight back to their venues.”

Key sessions from the Learning LIVE programme include:

  • The preparation and delivery of FIFA 2026 World Cup – Alan Ferguson, Senior Pitch Management Manager, FIFA
  • Public Parks: Gardening for People and Planet – Matthew Pottage, Head of Horticulture & Landscape Strategy, The Royal Parks
  • High Performance Mindset: Lessons from the Pitch to the Boardroom – James Haskell, Rugby legend, broadcaster, DJ and best-selling author
  • Course success at the 2025 Open Championship – Graeme Beatt, Course Manager, Royal Portrush Golf Club
  • UEFA Champions League, Nations League Final & Women’s EURO 2025 pitch preparations – Lee Guerriero, Stadium Operations and Pitch Expert, UEFA
  • Future-proofing turf management: Water resilience in a changing climate – Tony Hanson, Managing Director, Environmental Solutions International, Mark Hunt, Technical Specialist, Prodata Weather Systems, Roger Davey, Managing Director & Founder, Irritech and Dr Tom Young, Blue-Green Infrastructure Specialist, The Environment Partnership
  • Sustainable solutions at multi-sport venues – James Wright, Senior Maintenance Manager, University of Leeds, Andrew Turnbull, BioAgronomist, South West Agronomy, Sam Kingston, Grounds Manager, Wesley College and Andrew Bulter, Head of Grounds & Gardens, Repton School

From community sport funding and machinery security to grass seed innovation, pest and weed management and youth engagement in grounds careers, the full programme offers something for everyone across the sector.

Click here to view the full programme.

With more than 30 sessions across the Main Stage, Spotlight Stage and Community Sport Stage, there’s a wealth of knowledge on offer from some of the most respected names in the grounds management industry.

SALTEX 2025 takes place on 12-13 November at the NEC, Birmingham. Register for FREE at saltex.org.uk and be in with a chance of winning a Cramer Tools Lawn Mower, complete with charger and battery, worth £2,240!

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Headline speakers for Learning LIVE

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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

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!

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Peter Donegan announced for Grand Designs Live

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Peter Donegan announced for Grand Designs Live: International Garden Designer Peter Donegan MSGLD MAPL is set to head the Grand Designs Live stage May 2025 at The ExCel London, the UK’s leading home design and garden exhibition has announced.

Fresh from hosting The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) Awards for Britains greatest horticulture trade organisation at The Brewery on Chiswell Street, the title of his talk ‘working with a garden designer and how it could save you thousands of pounds’ leads Saturdays talks stage for the Kevin McCloud hosted Channel 4 television show live event and is billed as one of the not to miss highlights of The Home and Garden main stage according to organisers.

Peter Donegan announced for Grand Designs Live

Peter Donegan announced for Grand Designs Live

Named in The Top 100 UK Garden Designers and Top 70 UK TV Presenters, Donegan designed the shows featured garden at Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) winning Silver medal, The People’s Choice Award and The AIH International Horticulture Award, where he was also a garden judge at the show.

The year previous he became the first Irish landscape architect invited to design at MIFGS the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and most prestigious flower show where he won Gold medal and The Australian Institute of Horticulture’s International Award of Excellence.

Of other historic builds internationally the Irish landscape architect was one of 14 designers selected globally and designed and realises the WW1 Centenary Peace Garden at Château de Péronne in 2018. Peter returned in 2022 and designed a 2nd inaugurated garden at the 13th Century castle known also as the Historial de la Grande Guerre, home to Europe’s largest war museum.

From 2019 to 2022, The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) silver medallist assumed the role of series garden designer for Ireland’s most watched TV show, RTE’s DIY SOS The Big Build.

In 2001, aged 24, horticulturist Donegan began designing under his own name and swiftly won a host of awards for 17th & 18th century gardens designed & show gardens at national competition.

Peter Donegan MSGLD MAPL is a registered member of The Society of Garden Designers (UK) and a Designer Member of The APL (UK) has been a garden judge in London & Melbourne and, international speaker, master of ceremonies and garden design lecturer.

This summer 2025 the award winning garden designer will also speak at Limerick Garden Festival, D and M Garden Centre’s 40th anniversary celebrations, Tipperary Town Library’s Bealtaine Festival and the main stage at The Royal Horticultural Society’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

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