Wayne took home an impressive range of RYOBI tools valued at over £1,700 including the RYOBI 36V Cordless Brushless 46cm Self-Propelled Lawnmower, the 36V MAX POWER Cordless Brushless 65cm Hedge Trimmer, the 36V MAX POWER 40cm Cordless Brushless Chainsaw and much more!

His journey in grounds management began as a young boy helping at his local sports ground. “I was the kid who would nag the groundsman to let me put the nets up and the corner flags out,” he said.

His passion led him to apply for an apprenticeship with Blaenau Gwent Borough Council, where he was introduced to the Grounds Management Association (GMA), formerly the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) as it was known then.

After gaining experience with the council and working at the sports ground at British Steel, he eventually returned to the council, managing sports facilities on his own. Thirty-five years ago, he transitioned into professional sports with Cardiff City, where he has played a pivotal role ever since. “I moved to Cardiff as the Ground and Stadium Manager and, over time, my role evolved to include safety, security and service. Our grounds team has grown from two people when I started to ten today,” Wayne said.

A dedicated member of the GMA since the age of 16, Wayne was awarded the ‘Young Groundsman of the Year’ in 1986. Reflecting on his SALTEX experience, Wayne said: “I get our grounds staff together regularly for a trip, so we got in the minibus and had a fantastic day at SALTEX. 

“It was great to visit our suppliers, see new equipment and learn about the latest innovations. I never really win anything, so when I got the phone call, I was blown away. Funny enough, I had actually been thinking about buying a RYOBI hedge cutter to replace my hand shears, so this fits quite nicely!” 

Thomas Leather, Head of Marketing at RYOBI said: “We were delighted to be part of SALTEX 2024 and to have the opportunity to provide this fantastic set of tools as a prize. SALTEX was a great chance for us to connect with so many people. We had a great time showcasing our latest innovations and seeing the positive reception from visitors. Congratulations to Wayne on his win – we hope these tools will serve as valuable assets to his work.”