WA Turf Industry Awards
WA TURF INDUSTRY GRADUATE AWARDS
The STA (WA) is currently the principal organiser for the annual WA Turf Industry Graduate Awards night. A gala dinner and graduation ceremony for the graduating turf apprentices and students from the South Metropolitan TAFE, Murdoch. This event has been proudly co-sponsored by the Sports Turf Association (WA), the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Western Australia (GCSAWA) and the WA Bowling Greenkeepers Association (WABGA) as well as numerous local turf industry businesses annually since 1982. Recently the Turf Growers Association of WA (TGAWA) has also accepted the role as a major supporter in the place of the WABGA.The four major awards presented are:
- the Best Student Technical & Further Education – Turf Management presented as the CH Bailey & Son perpetual Shield, sponsored by Baileys Fertilisers
- the Best Student in Certificate of Trade Studies – Turf Management presented as the Bayer Shield sponsored by Bayer Cropscience.
- the Best Bowling Green Apprentice presented as The Murray James Memorial Trophy, previously sponsored by the Western Australian Bowling Greenkeepers Association and now by the Turf Growers Association of Western Australia.
- the Lecturers Choice Award. This recipient of this award is selected according to criteria set by the TAFE lecturers. Most commonly for those students they believe has demonstarted considerable improvement and intention for improvement. This award is sponsored by Lawn Doctor Turf Farms.
Golf Course Superintendents Association of Western Australia
Sports Turf Association (WA)
Turf Growers Association of Western Australia
NATIONAL TURF GRADUATE AWARD PROGRAM
Graduating students are then invited to submit entries to be our Western Australian representative at the National Turf Graduate Awards held in conjunction with the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association. For a number of years TORO Australia have very generously supported the professional development of the Australian Turf Industry and are committed to supporting a National Sports Turf Graduate Program. The participants of this program are selected from nominated graduates from each state representing the turf sectors of Golf (AGCSA) and Sports Turf (STA). These representatives are granted a moment to present to and be interviewed by a panel of their peers for the National Turf Graduate Award and apply for a very privileged bursary of specialized professional development opportunity fully funded by TORO Australia. Past winners have received exclusive mentorship with flights and accommodation to the USA to attend either the Winter School for Turf Managers at the University of Massachusetts or the National Sports Fields and Grounds Forum as well as other private tours of facilities and opportunities for internship at famed sites throughout the US.The winning finalist of the National Sports Turf Graduate is also announced and celebrated at a gala dinner held at the annual Australian Turf Grass Conference and Trade Exhibition.
Pictured above are the recipients of the 2015 WA Turf Industry Awards.
(left) Jayden Pickering from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder was the recipient for the CH BAILEY & SONS PERPETUAL SHIELD.
(centre) Matthew Kempton from Collier Park GC received the Lecturers Award
(right) Michael Giamboi from Meadow Springs CC was presented with the BAYER Shield.
A copy of the WA Turf Industry Graduate Awards Application form can be downloaded here.
WA TURF GRADUATE AWARD WINNERS
| Best Student Technical & Further Education – Turf Management | Best Student in Certificate of Trade Studies – Turf Management | Best Bowling Greenkeepers Apprentice | |
| Year | “CH Bailey & Son Perpetual Shield” | “Bayer Award” | “Murray James Memorial Trophy” |
| 1982 | James Clements (Air Force Association Bowls Club) | ||
| 1983 | Fred Maartensz (Nedlands Tennis Club) | ||
| 1984 | Phillip O’Neill (Churchlands College) | ||
| 1985 | Larry Muir (City Beach Bowling Club) | ||
| 1986 | Dixie Joy (All Saints' College) | ||
| 1987 | Des Bevan (Morley Bowling Club) | ||
| 1988 | Sam Franco (City of Melville) | ||
| 1989 | Chris Marsh (University of Western Australia) | Niall Laird (Vines Resort) | |
| 1990 | Kevin Forbes (City of Canning) | Ross Grieve (Melville Glades Golf Club) | |
| 1991 | Idris Evans (Western Australian Golf Club) | Rachel Cox (WACA) | |
| 1992 | Jenny Sutton (Perth City Council) | Steve Cruickshank (Capel Golf Course) | |
| 1993 | Peter MacLachlan (Airport Landside) | Paul Nelson (Innaloo Bowling Club) | |
| 1994 | Darren Wilson (Lake Karrinyup Country Club) | Peter Terpkos (Armadale Bowling Club) | |
| 1995 | Wayne Webber (Melville Glades Golf Club) | Marie Egan (Scotch College) | |
| 1996 | Peter Griffiths (South Perth City Council) | Colin Bell (Port Kennedy Golf Course) | |
| 1997 | Brad Anderson (Peninsular Golf Course) | Daniel Stavely (Peninsular Golf Course) + Bradley Johns (Wanneroo Golf Course) | |
| 1998 | Karl Kirby (Aquinas College) | Grant Chettleburg (Sun City Country Club) | |
| 1999 | John Meallabone (The Vines Resort) | Peter Bennie (Rosehill Country Club) | |
| 2000 | Robert Hill (Cottesloe Golf Course) | Scott Chambers (Mandurah Country Club) | |
| 2001 | Robert Heyworth (The Lawn Doctor) | Brendan Jones (Mukinbudin Shire) | |
| 2002 | Geoffrey Skinner (The Australian Army) | Callum Hitching (Busselton Golf Course) | Cullen Longbottom |
| 2003 | Alan Ashe (Burswood Golf Course) | David Higgins (Meadow Springs Country Club) | Christopher McKenna |
| 2004 | Maxwell Dennis (Town of Vincent) | Mathew McLeod (Dunsborough Lakes Golf Course) | Daniel McIver (Innaloo Bowling Club) |
| 2005 | Glen McGrath (Edith Cowan University) | Leah Boxhall (University of Western Australia) | Daniel Brown (Sorrento Bowling Club) |
| 2006 | Scott Davey (Bunbury Golf Course) | Sam Fraser (Melville Bowling Club) | |
| 2007 | Robert Thompson (University of Western Australia) | Dayne Whalan (Christchurch Grammar School) | Russel Quinlan (Carlisle / Lathlain Bowling Club) |
| 2008 | Jeff Vaughan (Lakelands Country Club) | Daniel Zoccoli (Mt Lawley Golf Club) | Vasco Aguiar (Hilton Park Bowling Club) |
| 2009 | Dale Loxton (Mandurah Country Club) | Ryan Trott (Busselton Golf Course) | |
| 2010 | Rory Bainsfather-Scott (Western Australian Cricket Association) | Thomas Purser (Meadow Springs Country Club) | |
| 2011 | Jeremy Malkin (Mosman Park Golf Club) | Daniel Prince (Innaloo Sportsman’s' Club) | |
| 2012 | Lewis Dienelt (Western Australian Cricket Association) | Dylan Bentley (Geraldton Golf Club) | Greg Riemer (Port Denison Bowling Club) |
| 2013 | Luke Cooney (University of Western Australia) | Chris Varley (Gosnells Golf Club) | |
| 2014 | Matthew Lane (Western Australian Cricket Association) | Rohan Janeway (Mandurah Country Club) | Adam Beaver (Mosman Bowling Club) |
| 2015 | Jayden Pickering (City of Kalgoorlie / Boulder) | Michael Giamboi (Meadow Springs Country Club) | Andrew Garlick (Morley / Noranda Recreation Club) |
| 2016 | Jason Kirkwood (West Coast Turf) | Mark Dickinson (Mosman Park / Cottesloe Golf Club) | Matthew Smith (Swan Bowling & Recreational Club) |
| 2017 | Reid Lukasik (John XXIII College) | Matthew Vroom (Mandurah Country Club) | |
| 2018 |