IOG SALTEX HELPS RACECOURSE GROUNDSMAN MAINTAIN HIS WINNING STREAK

The going’s been good for Richard Bradley, head groundsman at Great Yarmouth Racecourse, since he switched sports after starting his career at the local golf club. He got the seven-year itch while watching the horse racing from neighbouring Great Yarmouth & Caister Golf Club, where he served his apprenticeship. “The grass looked greener on the other side,” he laughs.

Seven years later, he shows no sign of succumbing to the same urge to move on and loves his role at the racecourse, including his annual pilgrimage to IOG SALTEX at Windsor.

This year will be his sixth visit on the trot and he relishes the chance to view the latest innovations in the grounds care sector. “I like to keep up to date with technological developments - in machinery, grass and fertilisers,” he says.

He has a thirst for knowledge, too: during his stretch at the golf club, he undertook three years of formal education at college. Keeping on the learning curve is important to him, he says – which is another good reason for making the long trip to Windsor: it’s usually a minimum of a three-hour drive each way but well worth the effort.

Last year’s launch of the show’s Skills Village proved irresistible, he reflects, but he has one regret: “The seminars are great if you have time to go to them, but there just isn’t enough time if you only attend the show for a single day, as I do.”

His approach is to cherry-pick his way round the event, swapping information with fellow groundsmen – “it’s great to meet up with people who work in sports turf as well as on racecourses” - and making use of the knowledge of the exhibitors. He is usually accompanied by the racecourse’s Clerk of the Course and other members of staff. “For the more junior members, the show is definitely very educational and there’s plenty to learn,” he says.

Richard Bradley oversees three other groundstaff and as part of what is a varied programme of work together they are responsible for maintaining the racing surface in prime condition, as well as the overall preparation and presentation of the site and surroundings.

“The most demanding aspect of my work is the hectic racing schedule. Throughout the racing season, meetings are scheduled close together including two/three day meetings, which means there is a tight turnaround to ensure the racing surface and site are up to scratch and ready. The workload is heavy and demanding.”

It is to improve the methods used in managing the racecourse that he says is the prime reason for attending IOG SALTEX. As the show is held during a break in the racing calendar, the timing is “just right”, he adds.

“The event showcases developments in the industry that will make our lives easier and allow us to do our jobs better. Last year, for example, I went with the specific hope of finding a new batwing mower to replace the front-mounted vortex and blower powered by a 75 HP tractor that I currently use. I found what I wanted but, unfortunately, budget restrictions have so far prevented me from ordering it.”

The chance to press the flesh with industry suppliers is also important to him. “It’s an ongoing thing: I’m always looking for ways to save money without compromising the quality of the racing surface. I’ll look at the grass seed, soil, sand and fertiliser at the trade stands. IOG SALTEX is cracking for those.”

• IOG SALTEX 2008 will be held on 2-4 September at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.