The British Horse Society (BHS) has welcomed four new Fellows following a two-day assessment of candidates’ knowledge in all aspects of equitation and educating horses and riders.
Lisa Morris, Kylie Roddy, David Sheerin and Jayne Smart received the prestigious coaching accolade. The BHS Fellowship is the highest qualification offered by the Society and represents “the ultimate career aspiration for any equestrian coach”.
“A BHS Fellow is recognised throughout the global equine industry as an equitation expert and a thought leader for the sector, as well as an ambassador for the equestrian profession who is committed to upholding the highest standards of horsemanship, training, and welfare,” said a BHS spokesman. “Above all, a Fellow of The British Horse Society will work tirelessly for the good of the horse.”
Tracy Casstles, BHS Director of Education, said she was delighted to welcome Lisa, Kylie, David and Jayne as the charity’s newest Fellows.
“They demonstrated a tremendous depth of equestrian knowledge and outstanding coaching skills during their assessments, and they will be a huge asset to the work of the Society,” she said. “Attaining the BHS Fellowship is a recognition of an individual coach’s extensive knowledge and experience, and this outstanding achievement by Lisa, Kylie, David and Jayne illustrates their coaching expertise, as well as their inspiring dedication to lifelong learning and their long-standing commitment to the equestrian industry.
“The gruelling candidate assessments took place over two days at Keysoe International and involved the participation of over 30 advanced-level horses and riders. I would like to thank everyone who generously gave up their time or loaned their horses to support this important BHS qualification assessment.”
Jeremy Michaels FBHS and Patrick Print FBHS led two teams of senior BHS assessors.
“It is always a pleasure to welcome new Fellows into the fold and especially nice to be part of the assessment process,” Patrick Print said. “My colleagues and I were really impressed with the very high standards.”
Jeremy Michaels added: “The facilities and staff at Keysoe were excellent and the horses and riders, many of whom had to travel a long way, were of a very high standard which allowed the candidates to demonstrate their coaching skills.
There are currently fewer than 60 active BHS Fellows in the world.
The Fellowship assessment usually takes place every other year and is open to any Performance Coach BHSI over 25 – although the average candidate age is much higher. If you are a Performance Coach BHSI who would like to be kept informed about future BHS Fellowship training opportunities, or you would like to find out more about what’s involved, email education@bhs.org.uk to register your interest.
