10,000 not out and the winner is.....

10,000 not out and the winner is.....

Records may have been tumbling at Lord's, but not longer after Robert Key and Andrew Strauss were setting their record breaking second wicket partnership, Pitchcare was having its own celebrations.

Early on the morning of Saturday 24th July, we recorded our10,000th new member, less than 3 years after our launch at Saltex 2001. In that short space of time Pitchcare has become the UK's, and probably the world's, leading website magazine for Groundsmen and Greenkeepers, with a monthly readership of well over 8,000.

Such success has only been possible thanks to the willingness of groundsmen and greenkeepers to pass on their advice and knowledge to their fellow members. The fact that so many are prepared to help others is the best endorsement we could have for what we have been trying to achieve for the industry.

This attitude is unique. In most industries the exact opposite exists; information is power and closely guarded.

I once asked Eddie Seaward why groundsmen and greenkeepers were so keen to share their experiences. He responded, "We are not in competition with each other, we are all competing against mother nature."

We are also very grateful to the industry companies who have supported us during our formative years. For many it was a leap of faith, but we would like to think that the decision to be involved with Pitchcare has been vindicated by the increased profile and sales resulting from the association. Our sincere thanks to you all.

And so to announce the winner of our competition and a luxury London break for 2, courtesy of the Travel Factory. The 10,000th member joined at exactly 8.01am on Saturday 24th July 2004, and the Pitchcare member who guessed nearest to that time is:-

Laurie Mills of St Neots, Cambridgeshire who guessed 10.30am on 24/7/2004.

Congratulations.

We were also offering a case of wine to a member, randomly selected, who had visited the site during the time that the competition was in force. The lucky member is:-

Colin Wade of Shepperton, Essex.

Many thanks to all who took part in the competition.

Please remember to visit our sponsor sites. Their support allows us to provide members with the most up to date information on what is happening in the industry and the best practical advice from the best practitioners in the industry.