NAGS bulletin: Top groom named

Groom of the year winner

The winner of the 2003 Horse & Hound Groom of the Year competition is Zanie Tanswell. Zanie was head girl to Pippa Funnell before recently starting a yard with her eventing boyfriend, Chris King.

Zanie impressed the judges with her wealth of experience and knowledge, although the judging wasn’t easy as the standard of all finalists was extremely high. A profile of Zanie will appear in a future issue of the magazine.

Equine sports massage courses

Students and equine professionals can now train towards Equine Body Worker equine sports massage certification at Writtle College, Chelmsford, Essex.

The college is hosting the Equinenergy courses, which provide an all-round foundation for individuals wishing to break into this growing industry, as well as providing an opportunity for established professionals to add to their qualifications. The first course will take place at Writtle in March.

Nicole Rombach, president of Equinenergy, says: “The new facilities at Writtle College will give Equinenergy students the opportunity to study and work in an environment that is representative of everyday life in the field of equine sports therapy.”

The courses are presented by vets and specialists, including Hilary Clayton, Kerry Ridgway and Debranne Pattillo, and offer students four levels of certification addressing all aspects of equine complementary healthcare science.

“Since 2000, the number of equine sports massage foundation courses has trebled and we now run five of these a year,” says Nicole. “Equine science course graduates and HND students make up about 30% of students, while 10% of students on our courses come from abroad.”

For more information visit: www.equinenergy.com or www.writtle.ac.uk

Become a member

Membership of NAGS is free to all bona fide grooms and students. Benefits include: Horse & Hound subscription at £1 per copy, £3 discount voucher on a sack of Blue Chip Dynamic, 10% discount on Splash Equestrian equipment and clothing, no P& P charges from Equestrian Vision mail order and eligibility for NAGS-only competitions and offers.

If you are interested in becoming a member, write to: NAGS, Room 2018, Kings Reach Tower, Stamford Street, London SE1 9LS (tel: 020 7261 6993), or e-mail: nags@ipcmedia.com

And remember, the club is open to all students, not just those studying for an equine qualification.

If you have any news or information you think would make a story for the NAGS weekly bulletin, please e-mail details to: kerry_bowness@ipcmedia.com