Pure Seed’s 40th Field Day
June 18th, 2026 – North Carolina
We’re excited to announce that Pure Seed’s 40th Annual Field Day will take place in 2026 at our Pure-Seed Testing East Research Farm in North Carolina.
This milestone event will bring together professionals from the turfgrass, forage, and seed industries for a day of research highlights, field tours, and meaningful connections.
Field Day 2026
Location: Pure Seed Testing East, North Carolina
606 N Main St, Rolesville, NC 27571
Date: June 18th, 2026
Time: 8:00 am Registration and Coffee, 8:45 am Tour Begins
Hotel Block: BOOK NOW
Bill Rose Foundation Topgolf Tournament
All Field Day Attendees are Invited to Join
Location: 4901 Topgolf Wy, Durham, NC 27703
Date: June 17th, 6:00-10:00 PM
Reception is free to attend, all skills welcome to play in the Tournament
Register or Sponsor: REGISTER NOW
The first Topgolf Event is more than a fundraiser. It is an investment in education, innovation, and the future of the turfgrass industry.
2026 Field Day Key Speakers
MAIN SPEAKER
Crystal Rose-Fricker
President | CEO | Board Member
Crystal Rose-Fricker is the president of Pure Seed and Pure-Seed Testing Inc. Her family has 3 generations in Oregon Ag. over the last 40 years. She has developed 398 turf and forage grass cultivars, 138 of which are on the European Union list.…
MAIN SPEAKER
Austin Fricker
Vice President | Production Director
At the young age of 13, Austin Fricker began his tenure at Pure-Seed Testing Inc. as a summer research technician, sparking a lifelong passion for the seed industry. After earning his undergraduate degree in Crop and Soil Science and International Politics and Policy…
MAIN SPEAKER
Melodee Fraser, Ph.D.
Director of Research PST East
Dr. Melodee Fraser, Director of Research at Pure Seed Testing-East in Rolesville, NC, earned her Ph.D. in turfgrass breeding from Rutgers University under the guidance of Dr. Reed Funk. Her primary research focus is developing tall fescue cultivars with improved summer performance, while…
MAIN SPEAKER
John Holmes
Atlas Turf International President
John Holmes is president of Atlas Turf International and has worked in the turfgrass and golf course industries for over 30 years. He began his career as a golf course superintendent and later moved into construction, helping to build courses for top architects.…
GUEST SPEAKER
Kevin Kenworthy, Ph.D.
Professor and Graduate Coordinator
Kevin is a Professor of Turfgrass Breeding at the University of Florida (UF) IFAS Agronomy Department where he manages breeding programs in bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, and bahiagrass. His breeding efforts are producer oriented with goals to increase grower profit through primary objectives…
GUEST SPEAKER
Benjamin Pritchard, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Weed Science
Dr. Ben Pritchard is the turfgrass weed scientist at the University of Georgia in the Crop and Soil Science department. His research focuses on improving weed management strategies for managed turf systems, with particular emphasis on herbicide behavior in turfgrass, soil–herbicide interactions and…
GUEST SPEAKER
Daniel Sandor, Ph.D.
Collegiate Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Science
Dr. Dan Sandor is an assistant professor of Turfgrass Science at Virginia Tech in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, where he holds a 100% teaching appointment and serves as the faculty advisor for the VT Turfgrass Club. Dr. Sandor is actively…
GUEST SPEAKER
Héctor López-Deschamps
CEO | Owner
Héctor López-Deschamps is the CEO and Owner of Wallgrow International, a leading golf course construction and maintenance company overseeing operations across 14 properties and multiple active development projects throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
With over two decades of experience in the…
