Bursary 2008

Entries & Enquiries to Alison Russell - 01794 323540 - alison@aekrussell.plus.com

Bursary 2007

Bursary 2005 - The Selection

On Wednesday 6 July, the candidates, members of the Committee and Robert Pickles FBHS gathered at Sparsholt Equine Centre.  We are once again extremely grateful to Sparsholt College for the use of their facilities and especially for the help and support given on the day by Ali Underhill the Yard Manager. 

The day began with Robert questioning the candidates and explaining that as BHS Assistant Instructors they would teach a subject and pass on their knowledge, but as an Intermediate Instructor they would be assessing and coaching someone who may have equal knowledge.  The candidates were then required to show their riding abilities, teach another candidate , and give a written assessment of  a horse and its rider.

Lunch was a chance to recover and spend time chatting amongst themselves and with the committee.  By now everyone had relaxed and were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

The afternoon session involved 8 horses specially selected by Ali Underhill for their conformation.  Each candidate had to look at a horse and assess its static and dynamic conformation; look for its good and weak points; obtain an overall picture and then relay their assessment in more detail to Robert.  The horse was then trotted up for them to look at its conformation and action and check for soundness, lameness and how it moved.

Afternoon tea and fruit cake was followed by individual feedback.  The candidates then departed and the final selection was made by Robert and the committee.

This year’s bursary of £1,000 was awarded to Alec Miles from Hall Lands Stables at Fair Oak.  Alec impressed everyone with his standard of riding, his enthusiasm and motivation.  We also awarded £100 to be used to further training to  both Helen Burt from Brinsbury College and Chrystal Roche from Broad Meadow Livery Yard at Petersfield.

Bursary Winner 2005 - Alec Miles!

“ I thoroughly enjoyed the training day which offered an insight into the standard of teaching required to become a BHSII. 

It is very difficult for me to find the time and funding for my training, with running a livery yard, freelance training, schooling horses and competing with my clients and my own horses.

I was thrilled to hear that I had been picked and am extremely grateful to the BHS Hampshire Committee.

My aim is to become a BHSI and to compete at advanced level of eventing, so this is a huge boost to achieve my goals.

For my Stage IV riding and care exam which I passed last year, I trained mainly at Lavant Stables in Chichester and with Robert Pickles FBHS.  I intend to return to them both for further training towards my Intermediate teaching exam which I have booked for November this year.

I hope that the BHS Hampshire is able to continue with this opportunity for other AI’s to further themselves within the industry.

Once again, many thanks.”

Alec Miles

Hall Lands Farm, Fair Oak

Extract from Aug 04 newsletter.

Wednesday 7 July was a first for the Hampshire BHS Committee.  After months of discussions, planning, phone calls, we put together a training/selection day for nine applicants for the Bursary.  We are extremely grateful to Carrie Ryan, Manager at Sparsholt, who not only made their wonderful facilities available to us free of charge, but also provided horses, including her own, and students to help.

Our thanks to Robert Pickles FBHS who spent the whole day assessing and instructing the candidates.  Firstly everyone rode, several candidates brought their own horses, two committee members brought theirs and Sparsholt also provided some.  Candidates were asked to assess the horses, they were then instructed individually, and finally worked the horses again to improve their way of going. 

After coffee the fun began again with stable management and everyone had to tack up either a dressage horse or a cross country horse for competition, all from a varied assortment of tack in a tack room.  At the same time all the candidates talked to Robert about their choice of tack and other things they might do.  This session took longer than anticipated, so lunch was a little shorter but it did not stop all of us enjoying a wonderful buffet.

The afternoon session was dedicated to lunging and everyone had the opportunity to teach and be taught.  At the end Robert discussed the importance of lungeing at Stage 4 and demonstrated how it should be done.  Robert then spoke to each candidate individually and following a discussion with all the committee members at Sparsholt, we decided to award two bursaries of £600 each to Vickie Archer, Head Girl, Naval Riding Centre, HMS DRYAD and Felicity Craddock, who is an Instructor at Pinkmead Farm, Botley.  We hope both Vickie and Felicity will benefit from their training and that everyone enjoyed the day.

Our thanks to Trish Willats, Morag Gibson and Alison Russell who did the organising and Jenny Snewing and Jo Freemantle who helped out on the day.  We hope this might become an annual event, providing our Rockbourne Ride continues to be successful!