Bright awarded 2019 British Dressage YPP Bursary

Joseph Bright (25), owner of Bright Dressage in Kent, has been awarded the 2019 British Dressage YPP bursary of £3,500. This is an additional opportunity offered to the dressage participants in the cross-discipline Sport England-funded Young Professionals Programme (YPP) and candidates were required to submit a career plan and attend an interview to apply for the bursary.

To be in with a chance of winning, the dressage candidates were required to create a personal statement, a five year plan and a business plan. Followed by a 10 – 15 minute presentation on the future of BD Youth in the next five years, to Stephen Arnett, Penny Pollard and BD Youth Director Clair Moir.

Joe (pictured) impressed the panel with his interview and presentation skills on the day and clearly communicated his vision for Youth within the sport of British Dressage. Joe’s enthusiasm and professionalism earned him the bursary, just ahead of the other talented candidates Megan Roberts (20), Laura Woodcock (25), Victoria Maw (25) and Lucy Amy (21). 

Having sat on the panel, Penny Pollard was delighted to announce Joseph Bright as the recipient of the British Dressage bursary. “We were impressed with Joe’s enthusiasm, professional manner, creative suggestions, and thorough approach. He has a confident manner and is motivated to help others in the equestrian industry. He is an asset to our sport. Joe is a delight to be and work with – we wish him all the very best for the rest of his career.”

The BEF 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.

Specifically tailored for individuals aged 19 – 26, 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.

The structure of the programme features 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.

YPP aims to promote young people into equine business rather than riding. 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.

Reflecting on the 2018-19 programme, Penny Pollard commented: “It has been a pleasure to support and offer the Young Professional Programme again this year. The enhanced programme design offers a great opportunity for our young members (age range 19-26). All the YPP participants from this year’s cohort, are already making a valuable contribution to the dressage world.”

Applications for the 2019/20 Young Professionals Programme are now open. Read more here.