Magazine - 2009 Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition Wrap Up

2009 Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition Wrap Up

 

The 25^th Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show this year was held for the first time in Hobart. The beautiful city has been an ideal location and I’m sure it won’t be another 25 years for the conference to grace Hobart again.

 

The Wrest Point Casino on Sandy Bay was the host for the trade exhibition and it also served as a great vehicle for after hours activities such as Scotts popular casino afternoon, where the industry could gamble with bogus chips on a couple of roulette tables. It was a nice warm up for the real thing later in proceedings.

 

The conference this year was in its regional (smaller) format which means that booths are smaller and there are mainly just booths without machinery. Keeping that in mind the exhibitors still put on a fantastic show, with plenty of information and handy little giveaways.

 

While we didn’t take up a booth at this year’s show, we still have flown down to cover the proceedings and meet and great some of the exhibitors.

 

We apologise for any stands not mentioned in our brief wrap up on the excellent show.

 

One of our first stops upon walking into the trade show was the table spread with tea and provisions, great timing on our behalf as always- it’s becoming a Pitchcare trait! After a quick feed we turned our backs to face the well presented Nuturf and DuPont stands which were adjacent to each other. The two companies have been making big strides into pest management with their environmentally friendly Acelepryn insecticide. Acelepryn knocks everything from Black beetles and Army worm to Argentine Stem Weevil. The insecticide has only been out for a short time and is sure to grow in popularity with these two heavy weight companies investing and promoting it.

 

After a quick walk around the trade hall we stopped upon the Parchem stall, a nifty little product known as the Porta Pump was shown in the middle of the display. Mark Roberts from Parchem was on hand to answer our questions. Looking more like a brush cutter, the Porta Pump is an ideal solution for pumping out water from hard to reach places. It would be ideal for any flooded bunker as it would be possible to simply walk into it, start the Honda engine, drop the head in and pump away. Being light weight it is easy to use and it would also be a big time saver. The pump can remove 125L a minute so it has more than enough grunt for those bigger jobs. Defiantly a product to keep a close eye out for.

 

Located next door to Parchem were the ever popular Redexim Charterhouse guys. Everyone knows about Redexim and their Vertidrain range, but many wouldn’t be familiar with the revolutionary Artificial Intelligence range. Holland has spent millions of dollars of research into developing this innovative array of synthetic turf solutions. With everything from a Verti Brush and Broom to the top of the range Verti Air, this range of machinery will change the way we look and care for synthetic pitches. The public are only just waking up to the responsibilities of care they face owning a synthetic pitch, research from America has shown pitches which aren’t cleaned and cared for can lead to infertility in men due to build up harmful bacteria. The top of the range VertiAir utilize a rotary brush and turbine compressed air to lift all material, sift out all the debris from the service and then return a clean dry and de-compacted infill back into the synthetic turf. The range of machinery has been certified by the Synthetic Turf Council proving the research has paid off.

 

Also along the back row of stands was the always hard working Ray Duffy from Tru-Turf. Ray and his fantastic greens rollers have been rolling into many a golf course for a number of years. Tru-Turf Rollers are used all over the world from PGA courses in the states to any number of courses in Oceania. I’m sure even Ray himself has lost count by now.

 

Further along was Casetech Horticulture. Ever heard of Coir? Well it turns our Coir is the outer husk of coconuts and is a bi product of the coconut industry. Coir is a sustainable, renewable resource which has several benefits over peat. Coir has higher water retention than peat and also retains all nutrients added to it. Becoming increasingly popular with golf and sports fields, Coir can meet all USGA standards and has a superior life span to peat.

 

Walking down the middle of the show we bumped into Bob Paddison of Turf Drain Australia. Turf Drain is looking great with a brand new logo and plenty of new promotional material. Turf Drain still continues to offer a complete solution for all your drainage needs. The company has set down drainage all over Australia from stadiums to bowling greens; they are the first stop for any questions on water removal.

 

At the busy Better Methods stand, were Andy Knox and Chris Smith from Underhill. The guys had on display the Mirage Sprinkler. The Mirage pop up turf sprinkler has been manufactured in Germany using the best of German engineering. The sprinklers can be placed on the outside of sports pitches due the enormous throw they possess; the M-160 has a throw of 164feet.

 

Another top looking stand was by StrathAyr. The company is fast becoming the turf solution specialist. Their Netpave range allows cars to park on grass and also includes the popular Removable natural turf system used around the world. The 2.4 by 2.4m removable system allows multi purpose venues to move in turf for events such as tennis and soccer. The system can then be fork lifted out and put back in the nursery where it will be cared for.

 

Present at the 25^th AGCSA Conference and Trade Show was Sygenta, who are famously known for their fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and growth retardants, whilst being a proud advertiser and supporter of Pitchcare Oceania. Their number one product Primo MAXX is used by many Greenkeepers and Groundsmen across the country and the world. The expectation of Primo MAXX is to increase turf quality by creating a more consistent surface with absolute turf safety. Lower rates at more regular intervals on a 1 – 3 weekly schedule from early spring to late autumn, will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Primo MAXX in most situations. It was great to see the guys from Sygenta in Hobart, and hopefully we’ll see them again at the next trade show in Canberra.

 

Brown Brothers Engineers Australia had an exciting stand showcasing their range of variable speed, constant pressure pump control systems by HYDROVAR. Combining their popular Lowara and Goulds pumps, Brown Brothers Engineers Australia have created a versatile range of pumps for use in HVAC, water supply, irrigation, filtration, pressure wash and much more. Advantages of HYDROVAR controlled pumps include; patented control system, multi pump control, lower noise level, no water hammer, lower starting current, easy handling, pressure control, easy programming and an optional surge panel. Major Australian golf courses with Lowara/HYDROVAR pump installations include, Royal Melbourne, Metropolitan and Kingston Heath, they’re also making a big impact on many popular New Zealand golf courses.

 

When you think cricket, you think cricket pitch rollers and subsequently MENTAY who provide all types of turf rollers for every application. The MENTAY booth stood in the corner next to the main stage showcasing their classic MENTAY 2000 dual barrel roller which is seen in many cricket clubs and schools across Australia and New Zealand. Another popular roller is the single barrelled Hydra-Glide which can reach weights up to 2200kgs. With its easy operation, variable speed, chain drive and 7hp petrol engine, the Hydra-Glide sets the standard for walk-behind turf rollers. MENTAY’s product range also covers absorbent rollers, cricket wicket cover transport, sightscreens and turf wicket soil improvers.

 

Well recognized product developers Turf Culture were also present in Hobart displaying their 2009 specialised product range. Turf Culture develops a range of products to solve turf problems around the country, including the renowned Maximiser Range of soil wetting products. They also have a very popular Turf Culture product ‘Coliseum Herbicide’ one of the preferred controllers of Poa annua and Lolium spp by Greenkeepers and Groundsmen. Other Turf Culture products include; Carbon Trader – improvers turf colour, health and appearance, Silverado Herbicide – controls moss and broadleaf weeds, Thumper Miticide – controls couch mite in couch turf, and CalSap – A highly soluble liquid calcium source for turf.

 

With today’s increasingly environmentally conscious approaches in the work place, Enware Australia and the WaterStax water treatment system by Water Maze are treating wash water in golf, turf and industrial applications with the most advanced biological control. The all natural bioremediation technology economically removes oils, grease, hydrocarbons, herbicides, pesticides and insecticides typically generated by washing equipment in the wash down bay. Further benefits of the WaterStax include; all natural discharge system, installation flexibility, low maintenance, no costly waste, non toxic microbes, patented air stick and compliance with EPA and local regulations.

 

Geofabrics Australia proved to be a popular stand displaying their range of products on the conference room floor. The eminent BunkerMat bunker lining product is becoming increasingly popular on many golf courses around the country, with its tight knit UV stabilised fibers which reduce the amount erosion from bunker faces in wet weather conditions. The BunkerMat also minimises sand contamination, increases bunker face angles, increases bunker aesthetics and reduces bunker maintenance, whilst being easy to install and durable. Another popular Geofabric product is the Megaflo; an advanced drainage system which requires no trenches and backfill, possesses a large surface area and requires less time to install. The Megaflo drainage system has been successfully used throughout the world on various golf courses.

 

We congratulate all organisers on the well presented and planned turf show. I’m sure all streams will agree it was a great location and informative week.

 

We look forward to next year’s conference on the Sunny Gold Coast and hope to see you all then.