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Stadium Playing Surface Tops in "A" League
World’s 1st StrathAyr track for a regional city racing club
Sam Houston Race Park installs StrathAyr ModulAyr Crossing
Construction commences on Tasman Park Racecourse
Brisbane Showgrounds to install StrathAyr System
7th National Rugby League Stadium to choose StrathAyr
Legend Couch for Gosch's Paddock
The Penrith Panthers new StrathAyr System field nears completion
Track Plays to Rave Reviews
Texans Summary - Kicking in Style
Stadium Playing Surface Tops in "A" League
Friday 26 February 2010.
http://www.suncorpstadium.com.au/default.asp?PageID=237
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) today announced that A-League Players voted Brisbane Roar's Suncorp Stadium as the best pitch in the A-League in 2009/2010.
PFA Chief Executive Brendan Schwab and Brisbane Roar Midfielder Massimo Murdocca presented awards to Queensland's Minister of Sport, the Hon. Phil Reeves, and Suncorp's Grounds Manager, Mal Caddies, in recognition of this important achievement.
"Mal and his team have done a fantastic job with the Suncorp surface this season," Schwab said. "We often hear that maintaining the quality of the playing surface is difficult in multi-use venues. However, Mal's team has demonstrated that this does not have to be the case. I congratulate and thank the Minister, Mal and everyone connected with Suncorp on the results they have achieved."
Murdocca stated that, "the playing surface is fundamental to the quality of a football match. A high quality surface enables players to fully demonstrate their talents. This improves the experience enjoyed by fans both in the stadium and at home. A poor surface not only negatively influences the quality of a game; it increases the risk of injury to A-League players."
Accepting the award on behalf of Stadiums Queensland, Minister Reeves thanked the players.
"It's great to receive this feedback from A-League players about the quality of the venues they play at in Queensland. This is great recognition of all for the hard work that goes into preparing these pitches week in week out.
"Obviously it is important that in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup our top players are playing on world class surfaces.
"Furthermore, for our junior players to come through the ranks and compete for a spot in the Socceroos squad it's very advantageous they are able to showcase their skills on well prepared fields.
"Every footballer will tell you that the quality of the match surface will affect the quality of the game, so I couldn't be more pleased with the efforts of the ground staff in ensuring our footballers are given the best chance of success."
Whilst the PFA Pitch Rating System has demonstrated the quality of the Suncorp playing surface, the PFA is disappointed to see some A-League venues struggle to earn a pass mark from the players.
"Clearly the standard of the playing surfaces at EnergyAustralia and Etihad Stadiums require attention," Schwab said. "Perhaps they can look to Suncorp's example in time for next season."
The PFA introduced the Pitch Rating System for the 2009/2010 A-League season to promote quality playing surfaces. The system, designed to ensure first-class football pitches and protect players' health and safety, rates the playing surfaces of A-League venues based on 4 criteria: (1) overall; (2) hardness; (3) pace; and (4) smoothness. At the conclusion of each match, the visiting captain rates the field based on each criterion by giving a mark out of 5. Suncorp Stadium achieved a season average of 4.3:
For more information including the full results of the report visit www.pfa.net.au (news section)
World’s 1st StrathAyr track for a regional city racing club
OPENING SOON - 30TH NOVEMBER 2008
Tote Tasmania and the Tasmanian Turf Club have indicated that StrathAyr’s success with this contract was based on a unique detailed technical and financial assessment of:
- Safety and welfare for both horses and riders;
- Track longevity and associated cost effectiveness;
- Performance consistency under variable weather conditions
Since the concept of all-weather natural turf racing was pioneered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club twenty years ago, there has been a widespread presumption that only the largest Clubs could afford this ground-breaking technology.
Under intensive racing over many years, the cost effectiveness has been proven by:
- Increased number of meetings;
- Increased track life;
- Reduced maintenance; and
- Increased water use efficiency
StrathAyr is delighted to have been able to prove the cost effectiveness of its system as this allows the horse and jockey safety benefits, as well as all of the financial considerations, to be available to the wider industry.
For update link to Tote Tasmania: TOTE Tasmania#2e3998e8-ebe5-44ff-a61a-7211e8411843
Sam Houston Race Park installs StrathAyr ModulAyr Crossing
May 2008
A portable racetrack crossing in under construction for Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas. The portable turf crossing can be removed between racemeetings to allow vehicles to cross without damage to the track.
Update: RacetrackCrossing - SamHoustonRacePark
Brisbane Showgrounds to install StrathAyr System
August 2007
With manjor tunnel works at the site of the Brishane Showgrounds the arena will be reconstructed and a StrathAyr System installed. The StrathAyr System has been nstalled at the Sydney Showgrounds since 1998 where it has withstood extensive usage of the Royal Easter Show, Rugby League, and Olympic Baseball.
7th National Rugby League Stadium to choose StrathAyr System
January 2007
Titans new Gold Coast Stadium selects StrathAyr System. Field construction commenced in July 2007. Once constructed 7 of Australia's National Rugby Leaue fields will be a StrathAyr System.
Legend Couch for Gosch's Paddock
Monday 3 April 2006
Legend couch, over sown with ryegrass, is currently being installed at Gosch’s Paddock, Collingwood Football Club new training (Melbourne). The Legend couch is being installed as BAyr Root Turf (washed turf ) in large rolls.
The Penrith Panthers new StrathAyr System field nears completion
Update 25 January 2006
The reconstruction of the Penrith Panthers stadium to a StrathAyr System field is almost complete with turfing works underway. Legend couch, with all the soil removed by the StrathAyr BAyr Root Turf process, is being installed.
Legend BAyr Root Couch
Penrith Panthers is the 6th Rugby League field to install a StrathAyr System field, joining:
- Telstra Stadium, Sydney
- Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- WIN Stadium, Wollongong
- Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
- Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney
Installation of ReFlex® matrix layer
The StrathAyr System provides an extremely resilient, safe and long lasting natural grass surface. It consists of a specially engineered profile that incorporates a base drainage layer of gravel and pipes, a lower layer of sand and an upper rootzone layer reinforced with unique ReFlex® mesh elements.
The result is a natural grass surface which combines remarkable surface strength, excellent drainage and improved grass growth, allowing increased usage over a long period for both sporting and non-sporting activities.
The StrathAyr System is available world-wide.
Track Plays to Rave Reviews
Moonee Valley Racing Club News, Friday, 4th of February 2005
THE amazing recovery of Moonee Valley’s StrathAyr track last night has received rave reviews from Melbourne’s leading jockeys and racing administrators today.
Despite the 155mm deluge of rain that hit Melbourne in the 24 hours leading up to last night’s meeting, Moonee Valley’s track was upgraded from heavy to dead after race three.
The rapid upgrade has baffled even the most hardened racing participants and has again displayed the remarkable recuperative powers of one of Australia’s most unique tracks.
Racing Victoria’s Chairman of Stewards Des Gleeson officiated at last night’s Valley meeting and said:
“Considering the amount of rain Melbourne received, a track rating of heavy at 8am was not surprising,”
“While the track was rated as heavy we did expect it to improve. When we arrived though, we were pleasantly surprised by how well it had drained and the subsequent improved state of the track.
“At the end of evening it warranted consideration for an upgrade to good, which is testament to the profile of the soil and track itself after it got 6.5 inches of rain.
“It raced extremely well and continued to improve as the night wore on. There was little divoting and it provided nice cushioning which the horses appreciate.”
Top jockey Stephen Baster, who rode Derringer to victory last night, was full of praise for the track.
“At lunchtime the day before the meeting I thought it would be called off for sure. It’s amazing how well the track recovered and raced,” said Baster.
Today the Club received 160 nominations for its Racing For Owners night meeting next Friday, February 11.
A $5000 Inglis credit towards the purchase of a horse at next weekend’s Melbourne Premier Sale will be offered to winning owners of each race on the seven-event program.
The innovative concept has significantly helped to attract a large number of nominations for the meeting.
Texans Summary - Kicking in Style
Article from the Houston Chronicle (23 August 2002)
By Joseph Duarte
Reliant Stadium's grass playing surface received rave reviews after passing its first test during an evening workout Tuesday.
"The footing is great. It's just like our practice field," Texans kicker Kris Brown said.
Brown is perfect on six field-goal attempts in three road preseason games. He has hit from 22, 39, 27, 30, 32 and 26 yards.
How Brown adjusts to the playing surface is important to the Texans. Brown missed 10 field-goal attempts during the first year of Pittsburgh's Heinz Field last season, mainly because of a slippery sand-based surface and shifting winds.
"Having the roof so they can control how much water (the grass) gets and we don't get the cold weather," Brown said. "It eliminates everything."
Coach Dom Capers predicts a fast playing surface.
"It's tight-knit, and I think footing will be outstanding," he said.