Farming Monthly National October 2017 | Page 43

| SALTEX products will work for you As well as a wide range of innovative products on display within the three large halls, visitors to SALTEX will have the chance to see many of these in action through the outdoor demonstrations which will be taking place on a grass area directly outside the SALTEX halls 6,7 and 8. The SALTEX College Cup – Putting student turf managers on the big stage The SALTEX College Cup, sponsored by Ransomes, is a national student-led sports-turf challenge that will take place on the first day of SALTEX. It is an academic test of turf management knowledge for student competitors in teams of four who are enrolled at colleges throughout the UK on relevant courses of study. Last year’s winners CAFRE College in Antrim, Northern Ireland, experienced an unforgettable day when they were part of the Wembley grounds team at the showpiece of the UK’s most historic sporting competition – the FA Cup Final. SALTEX College Cup winners 2017 will get the chance to get involved with pitch preparation at the 6 Nations, Scotland vs England rugby match, at BT Murrayfield Stadium. Pathology & Soil Science LIVE – Improve your soil profile The Pathology & Soil Science LIVE area will be located on the IOG Hub (stand number C180) from 11am to 1pm each day and will allow visitors to look in detail at the symptoms of some common turfgrass fungal disease problems, as infected plants are magnified and displayed on a large screen. Visitors who may have any soil profiles that are causing problems or concerns are welcome to bring in their own samples to discover how it could be improved. Pathology & Soil Science LIVE will be hosted www.farmingmonthly.co.uk by renowned turf consultant Alex Vickers and MD of the Turf Disease Centre Kate Entwistle. The Young Groundsmen’s Conference – The first steps to a rewarding career Sponsored by Rigby Taylor/Top Green and organised by the (Institute of Groundsmanship’s (IOG) Young Board of Directors, the Young Groundsmen’s Conference, is an ideal opportunity for young people looking to advance their career in the groundscare industry, and will offer information on educational opportunities, a guide to what some of the top grounds managers are looking for in a young recruit, and the chance to hear from industry professionals working at some of the most elite venues in the world. Ask the Expert – Free personal advice For face-to-face turf care advice, visitors can speak directly to one of eight IOG regional pitch advisors linked to The FA, the ECB, and the Football Foundation-funded Grounds & Natural Turf Improvement Programme. This feature will be available through the free Ask the Expert advice centre located on Stand E180. New for 2017 – The Job Clinic – Stand out from the crowd Visitors can visit SALTEX 2017’s new feature - the Job Clinic. Located on the IOG Hub, industry expert Frank Newberry will be hosting 15-minute one-to-one sessions covering CV writing to interview techniques. To book an appointment with Frank, visitors are advised to go to the IOG information desk on the IOG Hub as early as possible to avoid disappointment. The IOG Industry Awards – Celebrating the very best in groundsmanship SALTEX will once again be combined with the IOG’s annual Industry Awards dinner. Held on the evening of the first day (1 November) at the National Conference Centre, within the National Motorcycle Museum, which is near to the NEC, the event will be hosted by talkSPORT Radio’s Mark Saggers. The ceremony is the UK’s biggest celebration in groundsmanship; with a record number of 22 awards up for grabs this year. Kev Orkian, a musical comedian who is a Britain's Got Talent finalist, has entertained ro yalty and headlined in Las Vegas, will be on hand to provide the after dinner entertainment. Located in the centre of the UK, whether you are travelling from overseas or within the UK, the NEC is easy to get to by car, rail or air. SALTEX 2017 is free to attend. To register your attendance and beat the queues visit www.iogsaltex.com Follow SALTEX on Twitter @IOG_SALTEX and Facebook – www.facebook.com/IOGSALTEX October 2017 | Farming Monthly | 43