2021 BD Young Professionals bursary awarded to three successful candidates

After an informative year on the Young Professionals Programme, the 2021 British Dressage YPP bursary has been awarded to three talented professionals to further their development and career. Following submission of their own business and five-year plans, three candidates from the 2020-21 YPP dressage cohort were invited to present their ideas for the future of BD Youth to a panel comprising Penny Pollard, Stephen Arnett and BD Youth Director Claire Moir.

The panel were impressed by the standard of all three presentations and the professionalism of the candidates who delivered their ideas for potential developments in the BD Youth pathway over the next five years. The enthusiasm and professionalism of all three candidates influenced the panel to split the £5000 bursary between all three, identifying two highly commended winning candidates and one runner-up.

Based on their business and career plans, first place candidates Molly Smockum-Owen (21) and Louise Gallavan (23) were awarded £2000 each to complete BDCC coaching qualifications or HGV licences and runner-up Holly Lucas (25) also made an impression on the panel and was awarded £1000 toward completing her BDCC Level 2 qualification.

“The panel are proud of the British Dressage delegates who were highly motivated to gain maximum learning from the opportunities provided by YPP; and have already put many actions in place as a result,” commented Penny Pollard.

“On the assessment day, we were impressed with all three candidates’ creative ideas, commitment to our sport, their self-presentation, and honed interpersonal skills. It was a pleasure to interact with them. With their intentions to play a bigger role in supporting BD, our organisation will be in capable hands.

“We wish them all the very best with their future careers, and life plans.”

On the assessment day, we were impressed with all three candidates’ creative ideas, commitment to our sport, their self-presentation, and honed interpersonal skills. It was a pleasure to interact with them. With their intentions to play a bigger role in supporting BD, our organisation will be in capable hands.

The British Equestrian Young Professionals Programme is run in collaboration with fellow Olympic disciplines, British Eventing and British Showjumping and supports athletes looking to make a career in the equestrian industry. For the first time, the 2021-22 Young Professionals Programme is open to applicants aged 19-28.

The programme is designed to help support personal development, career planning and enhancement, leaving a wider and well-adapted skill-set that builds the confidence needed to grow a business and make it a success. This is delivered over up to eight core sessions delivered cross-discipline, with topics covered ranging from business management and business operations to media awareness, personal development, and communication skills.

The YPP aims to improve young people’s knowledge of all aspects of running a successful equine business. They are taught skills such as accounting, tax, HGV law, marketing etc. to expand their knowledge on what happens behind the scenes to make a business run successfully.

Dressage riders on each YPP cohort are invited to apply for the British Dressage Young Professionals bursary at the end of the programme. Up to £5000 is available to be awarded each year for candidate(s) to further their business or personal development.

The British Equestrian Young Professionals Programme is an established 12-month programme that has been running since 2017, funded by Sport England and delivered in collaboration with British Dressage, British Eventing and British Showjumping.

Further details of the application process and criteria can be found here. The BEF has extended the application deadline for the 2021-22 programme to the 20 September 2021, so there’s still time to apply.