Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/137861
wcta12jj--rev 6/18/13 11:40 AM Page 1 CONFERENCE NEWS BY JERRY ROUSSEAU A LOOK BACK AT PENTICTON IMAGE CREDIT JERRY ROUSSEAU Taking place in Penticton, BC March 2013, our 50th anniversary conference and trade show was an incredible success. With just over 300 turf managers participating, attendance was better than expected. Supplier support was staggering with 79 companies selling out the trade show floor (26 of them new) even after additional space was created several weeks prior to the event to meet the needs of increased 50/50 DRAW - $760 CATHY demand for booth space. BEGLAU, ST. MICHAELS This number was up UNIVERSITY SCHOOL significantly over the 62 companies participating in Victoria last year and is historically second only to a tie of 81 exhibiting in Victoria in 2009 and Penticton in 2005 (see right for full list of exhibitors). Education program feedback has been very positive and we were pleased to be able to present a mixture of local and international talent. Highlights most definitely included Doug Carrick, top Canadian Golf Course Architect, Tom Serensits, sportsturf guru from Penn State University and Dr. Joe Schwarcz from McGill University's Office of Science and Society. And we now know that a bigger room is required for Mario Lanthier's CEC point talks! Every delegate left with more than they arrived starting with the 50th Anniversary Conference memento, a beautifully done ball mark repair tool with magnetic ball marker presented in a keepsake tin case with WCTA logo. We take our education program and trade show seriously but there should always be room for some fun. At the WCTA Conference and Trade Show, we strive for balance! Here are some images of some of the extra-curricular activities delegates experienced. EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION $350 GIFT PACKAGE FROM BURROWING OWL ESTATE WINERY PAUL RICHARDS, DISTRICT OF NORTH COWICHAN GREAT CROWD AT THIS YEAR'S SHOW 2013 Exhibitor List: A.R. Mower & Supply Astro Turf Bartlett Tree Services BC Golf Superintendents Association Bos Sod Farms Inc. BrettYoung Bron and Sons Nursery Canadian Turf Specialty Products Centaur Products Inc. Chick's Irrigation Developments CIVITAS Club Car Corix Water Products Direct Solutions DMA Sports Group Eagle Lake Turf Farms Ltd. Earth Smart Solutions Eljay Irrigation Emerald Bay Ag Services English Lawns Explorer Marketing Group Inc. Falcon Custom Tee Markers FarmTek Service / TDS West FIBRELOK HPRS Foreshore Equipment & Supply Forestar Golf Sales Griff Building Supplies Growers Supply Harco Fittings Hutcheson Sand & Mixes Inside Golf Magazine Interior Turf Equipment Irrigation Industry Association of B.C. Island Park Equipment Keso Turf Supplies Kubota Canada Kwantlen Polytechnic University Marathon Surfaces Inc. N.A.T.S. Nursery National Leasing Golf & Turf Financing Nature's Gold Nilex Oakcreek Golf & Turf Inc. Okanagan Fertilizer / Fusion Turf Okanagan Reg. Goose Mgmt Committee Olds College Overton Environmental Enterprises PMRA Health Canada Prairie Coast Equipment Precision Labs Premier Pacific Seeds Professional Gardener Pumptronics Quality Golf Services - Planet Air RecTec Industries Inc. Redden Net RF Binnie & Associates Ltd. Rollins Machinery / Advanced Equipment RTF Water Saver Canada Sports Turf Association Sports Turf International Suttle Recreation Inc. Synthetic Turf International Target Products Ltd. Taylor's Turf Care Products Ltd. Terra Equipment Ltd. Terralink Horticulture The Anderson's THP Tomko Sports Systems Inc. Toro Irrigation / Irritrol Trenc-Tec Van-Ed Equipment Van-Kel / EMCO Corporation Vermeer Equipment BC / Bobcat Country Wallah Golf WCTA Mentoring & Research Western Rootzone(DBA Turfcat Enterprises) Western Turf Farms Ltd. Wood Bay FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: $1000 GRAND PRIZE ERNIE WHITELAW, MT. BRENTON GOLF CLUB PRIVATE FRASER RIVER STURGEON FISHING DAY TRIP FOR FOUR PEOPLE $650 VALUE RUSS EITNER, MT. BRENTON GOLF CLUB RUKUS BOOM BOX SOLAR POWERED IPOD PLAYER: TIM VANNICE, ST. ANDREWS BY THE LAKE CACTUS CLUB $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE: ALEX INGLIS, TWIN LAKES GOLF COURSE 3 RC CHOPPERS: ADAM GRAHAM, PRINCE GEORGE G&CC RICK MUNRO, FAIRWINDS GOLF COURSE; SCOTT MITCHELL, TARGET PRODUCTS 20 WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION ALL IMAGES CREDIT BOB WICK UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED