Apprentice
Masterclass
Ian
Stark OBE, Great Britain's Olympic Three Day Eventing Champion put
13 of Derbyshire's Equestrian Modern Apprentices through their paces
at the Masterclass 2003, organised by Stubbing Court Combined Training
Group.
The
lucky students were nominated by their employers and assessors for
the Masterclass 2003 and Stubbing Court CTG's 'Trainee of the Year'
competition, a reward for excellence at work and commitment to the
qualification during the year.
Georgie
Barnes, who runs an eventing yard at Horsley Woodhouse, Derby, has
employed Modern Apprentices through Stubbing Court CTG for a number
of years. Georgie nominated her Foundation Modern Apprentice, Gemma
Sweeting for the award. She is full of praise for Gemma who has
come on in leaps and bounds since she left college to become a Modern
Apprentice. "Working in the industry has really benefited Gemma,
as she has learnt more by working with the horses on a daily basis"
says Georgie. "The work-based learning route makes young people
more mature and responsible." It has certainly worked for Gemma,
as she is now a competent and valued member of the team at Georgies
yard and has been employed there for the past six months.
The
apprentices had to ride, jump and lunge horses that they had never
seen before, a task made much more difficult under the expert eye
of Ian Stark. Ian, who is four times Olympic Silver Medallist, European
Champion and three times winner of Badminton Horse Trials gave the
riders professional coaching in the disciplines. During the afternoon
Ian went on to lead an invaluable discussion with the apprentices
and their trainers in the schooling and care of event horses up
to Olympic standard.
When asked by Derbyshire Learning and Skills Council why he had
chosen to get involved with the Modern Apprenticeship programme,
Ian replied, "I knew very little about Modern Apprenticeships
until Stubbing Court CTG rang and asked me to get involved, I know
how hard it is to get young people into the industry and by Championing
Modern Apprenticeships I can give something back to equestrianism
while helping young people into a career with horses."
Cheryl
Goodison |
At
the end of the Masterclass, Ian had the very difficult task
of carrying out the final judging of the Trainee of the Year
in two categories - Foundation Modern Apprentice (NVQ Level
2) and Advanced Modern Apprentice (NVQ Level 3). The deserving
winners were FMA, Emma Randle and AMA, Cheryl Goodison. As
their reward, they win a coveted weeks work experience at
the yard of either Ian Stark or top British Dressage rider
Richard Davidson and £150.
Both
apprentices were really shell-shocked at being chosen, Cheryl,
who immediately asked Ian if she could do her work experience
at his yard, said "The Masterclass is a good idea, I
have known about it for the last eight months and it really
motivates you." Emma agreed, "I'm surprised to win,
today's been dead good - I have learnt a lot."
The
other competitors who had worked hard to be chosen for the
Masterclass were, Kate Lamb, Beckie Kruszewski, Charlotte
Hobster, Louise Adams, Lisa Powdrill, Kim Dyer, Gemma Sweeting,
Emma Morris, Ben McClumpha, Aysha Fichna and Becky Neale.
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