IOG Annual Conference

Newcastle United Football Club & Durham County Cricket Club

Incorporating the ECB Groundsman's Seminar 26th February

24th - 26th February 2007

Thank you to all of our Sponsors for their support which contributed to a successful event

This years IOG Annual Conference delivered a range of exclusive presentations from key industry figures. Please click on the below links to veiw the papers

Saturday 24th February

Day 1 - Order of Events, Newcastle United Football Club

The new Code of Practice for the use of pesticides - are you safe and are you legal?

Presented by pesticides expert and Chairman of the Amenity Forum, Jon Allbutt

The A-Z of common (and not so common) turf diseases and how to treat them

Dr Kate Entwistle of the Turf Disease Centre discussed turf diseases which can cause severely detrimental effects to both the visual and playing quality of amenity turf surfaces. 

Are you prepared for drought conditions?

Presented by water expert, Mike Pocock, Head of Strategic Planning for 3 Valleys Water.

Show me the money - a groundsman’s guide to accessing funding

Geoff Webb CEO prsented upon funding options which is available for a range of projects across the UK.

Sunday 25th February

Day 2 - Order of Events, Newcastle United Football Club

Greening the Games - are you ready for the challenge?

Mark Glover, campaign co-ordinator and Managing Director Bellenden Public Affairs, detailed in his presentations how the IOG will work with its members and the industry to ensure that the skills and expertise of grounds professionals across the UK play a key role in the delivery of a successful games and a sustainable legacy that starts now.

Water based hockey pitches – the findings

Presented by Dr Paul Flemming of Loughborough University from a 3 year funded research programme into their design and constuction, play performance and player feedback.

Build it, manage it, maintain it - the bigger picture

Experts from SAPCA Chris Trickey, ISPAL Paddy Corcoran and IOG Ian Lacy presented all the facts for an integrated approach to planning to ensure accurate budgeting for a sustainable surface.

Water abstraction - the facts and the figures

Simon Watson of the STRI will outline the environmental implications of, and regulations surrounding, the abstraction of water.

The way forward - education for all

The IOG Training & Education Group will provide an update on the recently launched Level 2 qualification and an introduction to the Level 3 that is currently in development. The presentation covered the complete and recommended educational career path for grounds professionals, a report on the findings of the 2007 salary bands survey as well as an overview of the soon to be launched Continuous Professional Development programme.

Innovative solutions for sport - the covering of Centre Court

Eddie Seaward, Head Groundsman at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, provided an exclusive preview of the plans and work to date. Click here to view the exclusive demonstration of the new roof at Centre Court

Play it safe - sports ground safety and the latest regulations

Sports equipment safety specialist, Harrod UK, Les Saunders provided a practical overview of the recommendations and regulations for the required standards of equipment for all sports.

Electrokinetic Geosynthetics - field trial stage

Prof. Colin Jones and Jean Hall, pioneers of this research programme, outlined the latest findings of this 10 year research programme and its future potential for sports surfaces as the project makes it to the field trial stage.

Monday 26th February

Day 3 - Order of Events, Durham County Cricket Club

Rolling optimisation for cricket pitch preparation – the latest research and findings

Alex Vickers Presented an update on the research currently being undertaken by Cranfield University which aims to develop a better understanding of the interaction between the roller and cricket soils, and to provide practical solutions to roller related problems with the aim of increasing player participation. Click here to view a Rolling Demonstration  

Funding for grass roots cricket clubs

A complete guide to accessing ECB funding for the development of cricket grounds and facilities by Bruce Cruse, ECB Funding and Facilities Manager.

Achieving the right standards – cricket pitch construction

Noel Mackenzie construction expert of Sports Turf Constructing, presented delegates with a ‘plain English’ guide to the latest specifications for constructing and upgrading a cricket pitch.

Drainage – expectations v. reality

Drainage expert Dr Richard Earl presented cricket drainage special that considered the increased need for effective and efficient drainage for cricket grounds in light of our changing climate.

Tips from the top and a study tour of the DCCC ground

Tom Flintoft (former Head Groundsman at DCCC), Terry Charlton (responsible for the construction of DCCC) and Ian Lacy (former consultant at DCCC and current IOG Head of Professional Services) provided an overview of the build and maintenance, and study tour, with one of the country’s premier cricket clubs.

Deep scarifying v Koroing?

presented by renovation and construction expert and IOG Director Terry Charlton, provided an overview on the potential pitfalls of each operation and how independent professional advice, before you undertake the job, can pay off.

Best practice on a budget – maintaining a cricket ground with limited funds

Clive Liddiard, Grounds Manager, Hampton School , explains how to maximise budgets and provides a review of essential operations to achieve the very best standards for play.

Click here for news, reviews and pictures of the IOG Annual Conference 2007

Full reviews of the 2006 Annual Conference are available HERE