A busy week at Harrogate 2011

Harrogate Week incorporates BTME, Europe's largest indoor turf exhibition which runs alongside the ClubHouse Exhibition every January at Harrogate. The two shows combine to become Harrogate Week and give visitors a genuine one-stop shop for their clubhouse and sports venue needs. From 1988 to the present, the Exhibition has been held every year at Harrogate International Centre in Harrogate, England.

Featuring
7000 exhibition visitors from more than 30 countries
2000 senior level conference attendees over 5 days
5 day educational conference featuring 60+ international speakers
1 international industry exhibition covering 3 days

New Ideas
A world of new ideas will be showcased at Harrogate Week for 2011 where you'll find exhibitors conveniently brought together, including leading international names, for you to browse and buy for the coming growing season. If you're looking for inspiration to revitalise your sporting venue, discover the latest trends, meet current suppliers and make valuable new contacts or be the first to purchase exclusive new products launching at the show, then Harrogate Week is the place to find serious exhibitors, which means serious business for you.

Exhibition
The opportunity to network with 7000 key decision makers from across the turf industry at the exhibition is invaluable attracting visitors from the entire turf management industry including: Aeration, Drainage, Fertilizer Applicators and Associated Equipment, Groundscare Machinery and Equipment, Irrigation, Mowers, Pesticides and Fertilizer Storage, Plant breeding and biotechnology, Plant Nutrients, Regulatory Bodies, Soil Management and Testing Equipment, Sprayers and Spraying Equipment, Turf and Seeds, Water/Lake/Pond Management and Wetting Agents. View the full list in the show website.

Visitors will also have access to free Fringe Seminars, where exhibitors will introduce the industry to the newest product developments.

BIGGA Social Night
Harrogate Week not only has three full days of exhibition and five days of learning and development, it also has many networking opportunities throughout the week. There is as much business conducted in the hotels and restaurants on an evening as there is during the day.

Visitors have the opportunity to network at the BIGGA Beer Festival and enjoy an evening sampling local brews whilst meeting up with friends and industry colleagues. The evening includes live music and a hot buffet, this is a definite event to add to your diary during your visit which takes place at The Old Swan Hotel on Tuesday 18 January 2011 between 7pm to 10.30pm

Enviorzone
New for 2011 is the dedicated Envirozone for green technology showcasing green solutions for the sports and turf industry.

Visitors will be able to speak to exhibitors about their products for expert advice whether it's rainwater harvesting, power optimisation, wind energy or ground-source heating. The exhibitors are there to advise you on how to achieve your environmental targets and successfully face the challenge to go green.

The Environmental Advice Desk will be offering advice from the Forestry Commission on Thursday 20th From 9.30 am to 10 am.

The Forestry Commission will also be presenting a seminar on "Woodfuel Energy That Grows on Trees". Woodfuel can be burned to generate heat (or electricity) and is an important part of the UK's renewable energy supply. It is a sustainable, low carbon, source of energy that is produced from managed woods, where felled trees are replanted. Woodfuel works best on a regional scale - using locally grown fuel in efficient, modern boilers as a clean way to provide heat for business and community buildings, saving money and CO2. Cut oil bills and heating from woodlands on your doorstep.

BIGGA Internet Points Sponsored by Syngenta
If you need to check your email whilst you are at Harrogate, find out the weather, turf disease risk back at home or just find the telephone number of a restaurant in town you want to book, the BIGGA Internet Points gives you free access to the Internet whilst you are at the show. You can even take the opportunity to keep up to date with the latest Show news on the Harrogate Week website.

Annual Awards Ceremony
The Awards Ceremony will take place on Tuesday 18 January 2011 at 4.00pm in the Queen's Suite of Harrogate International Centre. Presentations and acknowledgements will be made to recipients of:

Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year 2010
Diploma of Continuing Professional Development
Master Greenkeeper Certificate
BIGGA Photographic Competition
STRI Golf Course Environment Awards 2010

Personal Development Zone
If you are looking to further your career or just gain more advice on how you can improve your career prospects, then the Personal Development Zone at Harrogate Week 2011 is an invaluable resource for any sports turf professional who is looking to gain careers advice or inspiration for becoming a sports turf professional.

Featuring experts in the field of greenkeeping, careers assistance and consultancy there is a wealth of specialist advice available throughout the three days. Improving your skills can make you stand out, helping you to progress and fulfil your career ambitions. The Personal Development Zone has information on;
• CPD (actively participating in a CPD scheme makes' you an asset to your employer).
• Working abroad.
• Moving into consultancy.
• Ohio State Programme.
• Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year.
• Applying for jobs and how to cope with redundancy.

Keep a look out for the full timetable to make sure you get the advice you require. You can make an appointment prior to the show by contacting BIGGA HQ or you can drop by the Personal Development Zone stand on Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19, or Thursday 20 January 2011.

Conference
Building on the foundations and heritage of BTME, ClubHouse and Continue to Learn, Harrogate Week's five-day conference will encompass every aspect of managing your turf from basic golf course mechanics and basic greenkeeping techniques, golf course design, irrigation systems and carbon auditing to moving into management, budgeting, Ryder Cup Cymru, golf club marketing and sustainability. With 10 rooms of education theatres delivering over 130 hours of education with knowledgeable trainers whose aim is to improve your professional education. There's something for everyone with industry experts giving free seminars all aimed at helping you to grow your business.

The Continue to Learn programme at Harrogate Week offers educational opportunities to absolutely everything. Golf Greenkeepers are catered for as you would expect, but so too are Golf Club Professionals, Golf Club Officials and Owners as well as Groundsmen and Officials from just about every turf connected sport you can imagine.

Agenda
The conference programme has been developed in conjunction with the Learning and Development Committee and feedback from delegates of the previous conference and designed to provide you with the opportunity to tailor your own agenda to suit your needs.

Days One and Two will include a series of full day workshop sessions led by key trainers and consultants from organisations at the top of their field including
Dr John E. Kaminski, Assistant Professor, The Pennsylvania State University
Dr Kate Entwistle, Turfgrass Pathologist, The Turf Disease Centre
Robert Hunt, Chairman, International Design Group
Stanley J. Kostka, PhD, Director - Technology and Innovation, Aquatrols Corporation
Dr David Jones, Research Scientist, The Natural History Museum
Howard Swan, Principal Architect, Swan Golf Designs Limited and many more.

Days Three Four and Five will include 42 content-focused sessions including exhibitor presentations by influential business leaders exhibiting at the show.

Supporters
The 5-day comprehensive and informative education programme is supported by The R&A (Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews), The PGA (Professional Golfers Association), GCMA (Golf Club Managers' Association), GTC (Greenkeepers Training Committee), FEGGA (Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations), SAPCA (The Sport and Play Construction Association), IOG (Institute of Groundsmanship), EGU (English Golf Union), SGU (Scottish Golf Union), STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute), EWGA (English Women's Golf Union), GUW (Golf Union of Wales), CMAE (Club Managers Association of Europe), EGCOA (European Golf Course Owners Association), SLGA (Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association).

Why Get Involved?
This is the only international event bringing together all the key users and producers of turf and groundscare products to meet and discuss the challenges of sustainably providing a first class playing surface, an ideal opportunity for any organisation to network, influence decision makers and position itself as a leader in this sector.

Who Attends?
By visiting Harrogate Week you will meet you will be one of the many buyers and decision makers with job titles including: Course Manager, Head Greenkeeper, Head Groundsman, Estate Manager, Horticulturist, Landscaper, Chairman, Course Owner, Managing Director, Finance Directors, Procurement Officers, Heads of Sales and Marketing, Heads of R&D, Adviser, Regulator.

These decision makers span the entire groundscare industry from seeds, agrochemicals, sprayers and spraying equipment, fertilizer applicators and associated equipment, global positioning systems, plant nutrients and fertilizers, water & irrigation, machinery manufacturers and dealers, plant breeding and biotechnology, regulatory bodies, education and training, soil management and testing equipment to pesticides and fertilizer storage.

Park and Ride
Harrogate Week will once again be providing a Park and Ride service, which will not only be kind to your nerves, it will ease the strain on your wallet. Park your car in the secured area of the Yorkshire Event Centre, home of the Great Yorkshire Show, then one of the regularly running shuttle buses will ferry you the ten minutes to Harrogate International Centre where you can enjoy the delights of Harrogate Week to the full. At the end of the day, or if you have left your car for the duration of the Show, the week, you can catch another shuttle bus, safe in the knowledge that your car will be waiting for you and, for once, not cost you a penny.

List of Exhibitors

Register Now
With all that's happening during the week a visit to Harrogate is a must, you will be able to see the benefits to both you and your sporting venue. All you need to do is make sure that you register in advance for free entry to the exhibition and avoid the queues'. You can register via the website at www.harrogateweek.org.uk

To guarantee your place on the conference you will need to book early, you can also make a saving by avoiding the VAT increase. Prices have been reduced thanks to the Learning and Development Fund.