New Zealand’s capital city Wellington will be host for the inaugural Australasian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition
‘TIPU TAHI – GROWING TOGETHER’
F
be conducted by Kiwi experts Jamie Scott and Dr Karen Faisandier. Hailing from the South Island of New Zealand, Jamie spent the first decade of his career working as a personal trainer, rehabilitation assistant and nutrition consultant. After leaving the fitness industry, he became a health researcher, writer and presenter for one of New Zealand’s largest organisational health and well-being companies. Dr Faisandier is director of The Integrative Practice based in Wellington. Conventionally trained in clinical psychology, her interest in nutrition in health care led her into the study of nutritional and environmental medicine and its application to modern psychology to assist with optimising individual wellbeing and vitality. On the agronomy and management side of the coin, this year’s conference features two heavyweights – Prof. Scott McElroy and Andrew Johnston. Both will conduct separate Monday workshops, presented in partnership with Jacobsen, and will also give a number of other presentations throughout the week. Since 2014, McElroy has been a professor of crop, soil and environmental sciences at Auburn University in Alabama and is considered one of the industry’s pre-eminent weed experts. His professional and academic record speaks for itself, including a number of years as assistant professor of plant sciences at the University of Tennessee, an associate professor for the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences and an executive board member of the European Turfgrass Society (International) between 2012 and 2016. Johnston has spent the last 10 years at one of Asia’s pre-eminent golfing destinations, during which time he has overseen the remodelling of Sentosa’s heralded Serapong Course in 2006. In 2010 he was appointed as the club’s director of agronomy and in 2016 expanded that to include the general manager role. That same year he produced
MAJOR SPONSORS
INDUSTRY PARTNERS
s
or the first time in the history of the event, the AGCSA, in conjunction with the NZGCSA and its major partners, is taking the industry’s biggest gathering overseas! The inaugural Australasian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition, to be staged at TSB Arena in Wellington New Zealand from 24-29 June, will be unlike any other conference that has come before it. The Australian and New Zealand turf industries will come together truly for the first time and whether it’s the education sessions, the social functions or the post conference tour (which makes a welcome return), there is literally something for everyone Tuesday’s Plenary session is one not to be missed. Following a traditional Maori welcome, MC for the day will be one of New Zealand’s most inspiring personalities – former Olympian and marathon rowing champion Rob Hamill. His extraordinary achievements include winning the inaugural Atlantic Rowing Race then managing two successful defences of the event. Prior to that he collected silver at the Rowing World Championships, a Commonwealth Games gold medal, a world record on the indoor rowing machine and double gold at last year’s World Masters Games. And just for fun, he has directed several expeditions, the latest planned being a trek to the South Pole! While Hamill’s sporting and endurance feats are quite remarkable, there’s another journey he has been a part of which will leave delegates speechless. Hamill will recount this incredible tale during his motivational address as part of the Plenary session. Simply put, it is a powerful and inspiring message on tenacity, hope, love and the last human freedom – the power to choose your attitude and how you respond to any given situation. Men’s mental health issues have always been at the forefront of every conference and this year will be no different. The Wellington session – ‘Rethink/ Recharge – Rethinking men’s mental health’ – will
MAY-JUNE 2018
41