SkillHORSE
- A unique recognition of skills in the horse industry
Sixteen NVQ Level 3 Horse Care and Management students successfully
competed in the SkillHORSE competition, which was held at SkillCity
- The Skills Show, Manchester 13-16 November 2002. SkillCity was
a celebration of skills for over 100 different industries with
over 95,000 visitors attending the event over the four days.
SkillHORSE
has been developed by leading riders and key professionals within
the industry, with Patron Ian Stark OBE; Chair Belinda Turner,
Chief Executive of Stubbing Court Combined Training Group; and
Secretary Sarah Cartwright, Event Director of Equus - The Horse
Event. SkillHORSE also received the full support and involvement
of UK Skills, The Prince's Trust and the Learning and Skills Council.
The
competitors for SkillHORSE were each allocated a horse that they
had to turnout for competition, lunge for improvement, ride on
the flat and finally jump a course of 1m. The horses were kindly
provided by Myerscough College. Ian Stark also interviewed the
competitors on all aspects of yard and horse management. All competitors
coped admirably in completing these tasks under the unrelenting
gaze of judges Ian Stark, Richard Davison and Sarah Hamlyn, with
the added pressure of a huge audience of visitors.
The
best two students from each of the three days went forward to
the Final on Saturday. Sebastian Hughes from Moulton College was
the successful winner and received the £1000 training bursary
that was generously sponsored by Derby College. Ian Stark, Patron
of SkillHORSE commented "The SkilllHORSE competition for
NVQ students produced a very high standard, showing some true
talent and commitment to work with horses. The competition was
considered a positive step forward in the production of high quality
grooms for the future."
Aside
from the competition, the crowds were wowed by eventing demonstrations
from Ian Stark and SkillHORSE committee member Jamie Atkinson
in the Fibresand UK Ltd. Main Arena; and Richard Davison showed
off some dressage movements and then silenced the crowd with a
stunning dressage to music display.
The
UK Mounted Police put on fantastic demonstrations on each of the
four days and the visitors amassed to stroke these incredible
horses after their display. Other features included displays by
Capel Manor College's magnificent Heavy Horses, and visitors were
also able to watch the high level craft skills involved in saddlery
making by Walsall College and Capel Manor College; and questions
on all aspects of the equestrian world were answered from the
British Horse Society's stand.
The
visitors to SkillCity were also able to learn from have-a-go experience
at grooming and basic horse care skills. The British Racing School
and The Northern Racing College had a continual supply of people
wanting to have a go at racing on the horse simulator they provided.
Visitors
interested in careers with horses were able to gain valuable information
from the colleges and organisations that supported the event.
Belinda
Turner, Chair of SkillHORSE comments: 'The aim of SkillHORSE is
to inspire and motivate young people, raise the profile and status
of careers in the horse industry, and celebrate the world-class
talents that we have in Great Britain. For the first time, skills
in the industry have been represented alongside over 100 other
industries, to 95 000 young people, and given equal status and
significance. We are delighted with the success of the first SkillHORSE,
and extremely grateful to all those who supported SkillHORSE in
its first year'.
The next Skills Show will be held at ExCeL, 13th -16th October
2004.
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