By Michael Davis
Turf Management South Australia (TMSA) recently held its inaugural Turf Seminar at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, with former Australian cricketing great Greg Chappell headlining a diverse list of presenters.
Keynote speaker and avid golfer Chappell (AO MBE) 87, played 87 Tests for Australia, including 48 as captain, retiring in 1984 as the highest run-getter in Australian Test history at the time (7110 runs), surpassing the great Sir Don Bradman (6996 runs). After hanging up the Baggy Green, he served on the Australian Cricket Board, was a national selector on three separate occasions and had coaching stints with South Australia and India. His last major appointment was as Cricket Australia’s National Talent Manager a position he held from 2010 to 2019. Chappell reminisced on his days as a ‘backyard curator’ as he and brothers Ian and Trevor prepared their backyard for epic ‘Test’ matches against one another, fine tuning their skills which would ultimately take them to the highest level.
Champion jockey, Clare Lindop, also presented at the seminar. One of the most accomplished female jockeys the country has ever produced, Lindop created history in 2003 when she became the first Australian female jockey to ride in the Melbourne Cup aboard Debben. She went on to ride 111 winners for the 2003-2004 racing season, becoming the first female jockey to crack a century in one season, with that record only being broken in 2018. In 2008 she tasted her biggest success when she piloted Rebel Raider to win the Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby at Flemington.
Following her retirement as a champion jockey, Lindop has continued to be heavily involved in racing and was recently appointed to the newly-created role of industry development and training officer for Racing SA. As well as reflecting on her career in the saddle, Lindop provided an insight into the world of racing and track management from a jockey’s perspective and the importance that turf plays in horse performance. She also talked about the synergies between all turf-related sports and showcasing the career path opportunities that they can present.
Blundstone Arena head curator Marcus Pamplin told the seminar about the challenges that come with managing Tasmania’s premier cricket and AFL venue. Pamplin, winner of the ASTMA’s Excellence in Sportsfields and Grounds Management Award at the 2022 conference in Melbourne, has been in charge of the Hobart venue since 2008.
Pamplin provided an overview of the facility and the juggling act required to cater for the venue’s many tenants across both cricket and football seasons. He outlined the venue’s winter programs, highlighting the recent advent of their marquee practice facility which enables cricket training to continue throughout the cooler months. He discussed some of the challenges around managing the ground through Hobart’s unique climate, as well as the ongoing issues with logos and their impact on the turf.
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