A change in career is
a daunting prospect, but it can often be made easier with training and support
from new industry peers.
For Max Sandford, a
joiner by trade, he is swiftly learning ‘all things turf’ after taking over as
Head Groundsman at Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club 18 months ago.
One of those trusted
contacts is Ian Barnett of DLF Seeds who has supported Max with the Johnsons J
Premier Pitch, in use across the club’s stadium and training facilities.
“The
world of grass seed was very new to me” Max explains, when he accepted the top
job in early 2018. “Ian, our regional DLF Technical Manager, together with my
local distributor have spent a lot of time going back to basics, looking at
cultivars and mixture qualities which has given me a much better understanding.
"The
support has been invaluable and has certainly given me enough of an insight to
see that the Johnsons mixtures are doing a fantastic job.”
A
combination of J Premier Pitch and the ProNitro coated version, J Nitro Premier
Pitch, have been used across the site for the last seven years. “We carry out a
full renovation on both pitches each year after the final game and overseed
roughly every six to eight weeks, depending on the time of year and pitch
usage.”
“I
am very impressed with the germination, the density of coverage and the strong
colour we achieve year on year. The wear tolerance is a major factor for rugby,
especially in the scrummaging areas, but the J Premier Pitch holds firm which
is testament to the strength of the rooting.” On the back of Ian’s advice, Max
is looking forward to trying Johnsons J 4Turf mixture for the first time this
winter, to deliver deeper rooting and rapid establishment even under low soil
temperatures.
Max
concludes, “I enjoy reading about what other groundsmen are using and when I
see Johnson’s mixtures used at leading facilities around the country, I feel
confident that I’m sourcing the best products I can for the club. Ultimately,
I’ve found if you ask the right people the right questions, you will get the
right answers!”
