The increasing popularity of synthetic surfaces and the emphasis on maintenance and achieving the maximum life out of such a high capital investment, as well as the health and safety of players, has spurred Charterhouse Turf Machinery and Kubota to jointly sponsor the 2010 IOG Industry Award for the Best Maintained Artificial Pitch of the Year.
Both Nick Darking, Charterhouse’s Sales Manager and Dave Roberts, Sales & Marketing Manager of Kubota’s Tractor and Groundscare Division, say they are “delighted” to be involved in this year’s IOG Awards, which will be held at the Swalec Stadium, Cardiff, on Thursday November 25 - the same day/venue as the IOG Industry Sports Turf Conference.
Designed to recognise leadership, innovation and achievement in the groundscare industry, the IOG Industry Awards comprise 16 categories of entry covering sport, grass roots, young people and the environment:
- The Groundsman’s Groundsman of the Year
- Spectator Sports Ground of the Year
- Independent School Sports Ground of the Year
- Best Maintained Artificial Pitch of the Year
- Professional Sports Grounds Management Team of the Year
- Public Sector Sports Ground of the Year
- Grass Roots Sports Ground of the Year
- Volunteer Sports Grounds Management Team of the Year
- Volunteer Sports Groundsman of the Year
- Most Promising Sports Turf Student of the Year
- Young Groundsman of the Year
- Environmental Project of the Year
- Employer of the Year
- Innovation in Grounds Maintenance
- Public sector outdoor facility of the year
- Lifetime Achievement of the Year.
Each category will be judged on criteria which will include available resources, budget control, maintenance and use of machinery, presentation and housekeeping standards, technical knowledge, scale of operations and frequency of use, health & safety management, record keeping, environmental issues, community involvement and training & education.
Charterhouse Turf Machinery – which sponsored the same category in last year’s inaugural and highly-successful Awards scheme - is synonymous for its range of innovative natural and synthetic turf maintenance equipment. As a progressive, customer-focused company, it has developed groundbreaking technologies and expertise to enable sports ground managers to get the best from the latest synthetic surfaces. For example, its ever-evolving Verti-Art range embraces models to tackle any job from cleaning, levelling and striping, to removing infill and relieving compaction.
Meanwhile, Kubota’s world leadership in a variety of markets – it boasts the best selling compact tractor in the UK - is based on a number of innovative equipment developments since the 1970s, including:
- The first true four-wheel drive tractor
- The first four-wheel drive ride-on front rotary mower, and
- The first hydrostatic transmission system for compact tractors and diesel ride-on mowers.
Visit www.iogawards.com for full information, including category and entry/nomination details.
Published: 23/06/2010
