MR SALTEX WINS SYNGENTA IOG AWARD
Derek Walder, former groundsman at Wimbledon FC and for almost 40 years site manager of the annual SALTEX Sports Amenity & Landscape Trade Exhibition, has won the IOG Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Syngenta and ICL.
The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Industry Awards was this year held in partnership with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA).
In a prestigious ceremony at Milton Keynes' stadiummk,hosted by talkSPORT Radio presenter Mark Saggers, Derek's award was presentedSyngenta's Caroline Carroll and Ed Carter of ICL. It included an audience of more than 400 of the UK's and Europe's leading groundscare experts, as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators.
Click here to view a video of the Awards night
Derek, a past member of numerous IOG committees and the IOG board of directors, plus stints as national chairman and president of the IOG, spent 26 years as the grounds manager at Wimbledon FC's training site.
He has been site manager at SALTEX exhibition for almost 40 years, and is regularly referred to as 'Mr Saltex'.
Unbelievably, Derek's sacrifice of his holidays and spare time to SALTEX amounts to a total of over four and a half years!
Commenting, IOG chief executive Geoff Webb, says: "Derek's award is richly deserved. He has shown unswerving dedication to the success of SALTEX and for the benefit of all of the show's stakeholders.
"I know this focus will continue next year as the event moves to a new location at the NEC, bringing with it a new set of challenges which Derek and his team will undoubtedly be prepared for."
Other winners of the 2014 IOG Industry Awards were:
The IOG Vitax Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme Volunteer of the Year
Winner: Robert Stretton, Aylestone Park FC, Leicester
Finalist: Ian Williscroft, Potton UFC, Bedfordshire
The IOG Toro Most Promising Sportsturf Student of the Year
Winner: Dean Bryce, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes
Finalist: Michael Crew, The Hurlingham Club, London
The IOG Rigby Taylor/Top Green Young Groundsman of the Year
Winner: Martin Stephenson, Ashbrooke Sports Club, Sunderland
Finalists: Josef Farrow, Oakham School, Rutland, Leicester; Alex Hudson, Nottingham Forest FC
The IOG National Governing Bodies Grassroots Sports Grounds Team of the Year Winner: One Leisure, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Finalist: Beversbrook Sports Facility, Calne, Wilts
The IOG Kubota/Redexim Charterhouse Best Maintained Artificial Pitch of the Year
Winner: St George's Park, Burton upon Trent, Staffs
Finalist: Hampton School, Middlesex
The British Sugar TOPSOIL Environmental Project/Innovation of the Year
Winner: Forest Green Rovers FC, Nailsworth, Glos
Finalist: University of Warwick, Coventry
The IOG National Governing Bodies Spectator Sports Ground of the Year
Winner: Goodison Park, Everton FC, Liverpool
Finalist: Boldon Community Association Sports Ground, Jarrow Roofing FC, Sunderland
The Souters Sports School, College, University or Sports Club Grounds Team of the Year
Winner: Harrow School, Middlesex
Finalists: The Honourable Artillery Co, London; Whitgift School, South Croydon
The IOG Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year
Winner: Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Finalists: Derbyshire County Cricket Club & Warwickshire County Cricket Club
The IOG Mansfield Sand Professional Rugby League Grounds Team of the Year
Winner: Wigan Warriors
Finalist: Castleford Tigers, West Yorkshire
The IOG Professional Rugby Union Grounds Team of the Year
Winner: Worcester Warriors, Worcester
Finalist: Harlequins RUFC, Twickenham
The IOG John Deere Professional Horse Racing Grounds Team of the Year
Winner: York Racecourse, North Yorks
Finalist: Ripon Racecourse, North Yorks
The IOG Headland Amenity Professional Tennis Grounds Team of the Year
Winner: Edgbaston Priory Club, Birmingham
Finalist: Nottingham Tennis Centre
The IOG Campey/Imants Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year
Winner: Manchester United FC, Old Trafford
Finalist: Burnley FC, Turf Moor
The Alex R Millar DLF/Johnsons & Ransomes Groundsman of the Year
Winner: Tony Sinclair, Manchester United FC
And winners of the BIGGA Awards presented at the Event:
The BIGGA Ransomes Greenkeeping Achievement of the Year
Winner: Edward Ainsworth, Avro Golf Club, Stockport
Finalist: Rhys Butler, Royal St David's Golf Club
The BIGGA Baroness Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year
Winner: Ian Kinley and team at Royal Porthcawl
Finalist: Scott Fenwick, Steve Chappell and the team at Gleneagles
The BIGGA BASF/Sherriff Amenity Young Greenkeeper of the Year
Winner: Stuart Imeson, Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club, Northumberland
Finalist: Ben Evans, Altrincham Golf Club
For further details of the Awards and the Award winners, visit the IOG news page here.
