College sponsors county show
Northumberland College is renewing its sponsorship of the Northumberland County Show (26 May) for the second successive year.
While organisers would not reveal the exact sum of money involved, it is said to “run into thousands of pounds” annually as the show’s main sponsorship. Around 40 other companies will also sponsor the show.
The benefits are mutual, with the college having much to gain from its input to the show, including £1,000 bursaries for 5 potential students.
“The college has a superb platform to showcase its land-based courses to a very targeted audience,” said show secretary Gaynor Scandle. “They receive lots of free tickets for students and the show offers a bursary scheme for five Northumbrian young people to study agriculture, animal care of other land-based education. Kirkley Hall [the college’s specialist land-based education campus] is often the first choice for students.”
This year, further strengthening the relationship, the college’s vice principal of enterprise and innovation, Marcus Clinton, will judge the light horse championship.
Mandy Charlton, equine section secretary, said his credentials were “impeccable”.
“Marcus has vast expertise and knowledge in the equestrian industry as a British Showjumping judge and previous chairman of the British Horse Society in Staffordshire,” she said. “He has managed his own equestrian businesses and is the author of Horse Business Management.”
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Marcus has overseen the development of the equestrian centre at Kirkley Hall campus, increased competitions and initiated a British Eventing fixture at the site.
“I’m very honoured to be asked to judge this year’s light horse championship,” he said. “The county show attracts large numbers of competitors and standards are always extremely high.”
Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.