Join us for expert insight and turf management education. Registration required.

Speakers

Henry Bechelet

Technical Manager for ICL Turf and Landscape, UK & Ireland

Henry has been in the turf industry for over 25 years. He originally trained as an agricultural agronomist but then joined the turfgrass industry as a trainee agronomist in the early 1990’s. Over the years Henry has built a reputation as being an enthusiastic and entertaining presenter who has always been very progressive in his views.

Sean Loakes

European Technical Manager for Syngenta Turf and Landscape

Sean has had a career in science and research through practical field trials and laboratory studies, primarily focused on pesticide efficacy and best practice. Sean ensures turf managers in the UK and Ireland are best placed to implement new ideas & innovations from Syngenta turf R&D into integrated programmes.

Dr Andy Owen

International Technical Manager for ICL Turf and Landscape

Andy is a soil scientist and agronomist with a Ph.D. from the University of Wales in Bangor. Prior to joining ICL he was a sports turf lecturer at Myerscough College developing and delivering industry-focussed degree level courses to distance learning and in-college students.

Alex Cawley

Syngenta Technical Manager

Alex combines turf science qualifications with over 25 years practical golf course management experience across four countries, from the UK and Nordics to Australia. Alex has pioneered new Syngenta solutions to turf recovery from extended periods of climate-induced stress, and getting courses back in play after challenging conditions.

Join us for Turf Science Live 2025, a hands-on technical event exploring the future of turf management with live demos, expert insights and practical takeaways for turf professionals.

Agenda for the day

9.30am Arrival, registration, tea/coffee
10.00am Welcome
10.15am On the horizon – the debate
10.50am Station 1
11.30am Station 2
12.10pm Lunch
1.05pm Station 3
1.45pm Station 4
2.30pm Wrap up and depart

On the horizon – industry debate: shaping the future of turf management

This 30-minute interactive debate will open the day by exploring key topics that will be covered in more detail at each station.

Drawing on recent market research, we’ll look at how the industry is changing and what that means for turf managers. Experts from ICL and Syngenta will share their views on biostimulants, organic products, wetting agents, integrated disease management, and insecticide use.

Designed as a two-way conversation, the session encourages questions and input from the group and provides a clear overview of the themes shaping the rest of the day.

Stations

On the horizon – for precision spray application | Sean Loakes

Fine tuning your sprayer set-up can add over 20% to the performance of any application. Furthermore, sprayer operators in golf and amenity situations are under hugely intense scrutiny for safe application, to avoid risk for environmental resources and public access.

New developments in application technology enable operators to keep treatments on the intended target – where they will have the greatest effect – along with minimising losses through drift or spillage.

Sean will give a practical demonstration of the principles of sprayer set up, new research in Syngenta nozzle technology to deliver 90% drift reduction capability specifically designed for turf application, and the exciting Syngenta Evopac created for a clean and efficient closed transfer system of products into the sprayer.

On the horizon – the role of biostimulants in turf management | Andy Owen

Biostimulants are becoming a bigger part of the conversation in turf care, but where do they genuinely add value, and what should we expect from them going forward?

In this session, Dr Andy Owen will take a closer look at what biostimulants are, how they work, and why they’re increasingly being used in turf programmes.

Andy will explore the science, the myths, and the evolving regulatory landscape, as well as ICL’s current biostimulant offering and future direction.

With the market growing and claims increasing, this session is designed to help turf professionals make informed, practical decisions about how biostimulants fit into their long-term planning.

Turf Science Live 2025 at Killeen Castle.

On the horizon – for turf disease control | Alex Cawley

Climate change is posing ever more severe challenges for turf disease control each season. Not only are disease pressures becoming more intense, but with more extreme weather events they can occur for longer periods at any time of the year.

That demands a new approach to your fungicide strategy and the development of new fungicide technologies better able to match the changing conditions.

Alex outlines just how the changes are impacting on turf health and how to build effective programmes that will utilise new Syngenta fungicides integrated with turf management practices.

On the horizon – building fertilisers for the future | Henry Bechelet

ICL continues to develop nutrition technologies that support the evolving demands of fine turf management.

In this session, Henry will highlight the latest developments in ICL’s organo-mineral and slow-release fertiliser technologies.

Henry will explain how these can be integrated into a balanced, sustainable nutrition programme for fine turf—helping turf managers meet the demands of modern sports surfaces while supporting long-term soil and plant health.

Turf Science Live 2025