Barenbrug, the grass seed expert, has appointed Sam Horner as new Area Manager for the south west of England. The appointment follows the retirement of David Singleton, who was an extremely highly-regarded member of the Barenbrug team, for over 13 years.

Sam Horner’s experience with Barenbrug’s R&D team inspired him to consider a change of direction.

Sam joined Barenbrug at the beginning of 2015 and is responsible for the entire south west region. He has an impressive pedigree in the industry, leaving school at 16 and joining Hartpury College to study horticulture and sports turf for four years.  He went straight on to work two seasons in premiership rugby at Gloucestershire RFU, before a sideways move into golf.

Sam stayed at Tewkesbury Park for fourteen years, before taking up the role of Course and Estates Manager at Gloucester Golf Club, where he spent the next seven years.  It was around this point that he became particularly interested in the technical side of turf management, his experience with Barenbrug’s R&D team inspiring him to consider a change of direction.

Managing director Paul Johnson said: “Sam will be a great asset to the team as we build upon our presence in the South West. His knowledge, reputation and 20 years’ experience within the industry are an impressive mix, which will add significant value for existing and future customers.

“As with all our technical sales team, we are here to provide advice, guidance and reassurance to the turf industry. We are looking forward to working with Sam and better understanding the needs and requirements of our South West customers.”

Established in 1904, Suffolk-based Barenbrug UK is one of the largest grass seed producers in Britain with a name that’s synonymous with innovative grass seed solutions – raising the standard in the research and breeding of grasses in the UK.

www.barenbrug.co.uk