The Auckland Region, New Zealand, Best Winter Sports Field Competition. 2001-

Introduction;

The competition started in 1961 and involves finding the best senior, winter competition sports field(s) in the Auckland region of those submitted by any of the seven local authorities, who collectively provide over 500 fields each season.

Run under the auspices of the Sports Feild Forum. NZ (Inc) previously by its predecessor the informal Auckland Region sports field managers forum.

A record and overview of the original concept and a comparison of the three biennial competitions that have been held to date.

This paper prepared in 2007, as part requirement for accreditation as a NZ. Recreation Association Professional. First presented in abbreviated form at the 2006 Green Pavlova conference in Waitakere City 2006.

1. How the competition works.
2. Further details gathered.
3. An unbiased competition.
4. The councils and maintenance contractors involved; Works infrastructure. Recreational Turf Services, City Parks Services, Excell Coorporation, HEB, Serco Corporation.
5. Competition categories and funding.
6. The benefits; Promotion and funding of the Sports Field Officers forum. Staff from the seven councils meeting together and having the chance to see the results of their peers efforts, generation of bench- mark data
7. Results and analysis of the competition.
8. Conclusions

Sports field Forum of NZ (Inc) executive. 2005

1. Peter Gray, Nelmac . Nelson City.
2. Mike Gallagher, Auckland City.
3. Alex Glasgow. NZ Sports Turf Institute.
4. Graham Norton. Chair. Wellington City.
5. Dr Richard Gibbs, Sports Surface Design & Management Ltd.
6. Geoff Walker, Turf Clean. NZ
7. Robert Findlay, Manukau City
8. Bruce Lowe. Prebble seeds.
9. Alan Duxfield, Waitakere City
10. Ed Hall, Turf Science.
11. Steve McLeod, Castle Corp. Rotorua District Council.