Leading the group was equine tutor Casey Evans, who has played a key role in rebuilding the course at Telford Polytech. Under her guidance, six riders, four grooms and support staff travelled to the prestigious event.
One student claimed Reserve Champion in the Pleasure Horse section, while another earned Supreme Champion in the Saddle Cob category.
Mrs Evans said the results reflected both the dedication of her students and the strength of the revived programme.
"It just goes to show students at Telford can hold their own at New Zealand’s most prestigious A&P show."
Wanting her class to finish the year on a high, she saw the Royal Show as the perfect opportunity to showcase the skills students had developed during their level three and then level four equine courses at Telford.
Mrs Evans has been instrumental in re-establishing Telford’s equine curriculum, which was placed on a four-year hiatus during the Covid period.
In 2023 she delivered a 14-week level three programme, repeated it in 2024 and then spent the remainder of the year writing an entirely new level four course.
Mrs Evans said the industry demand spoke for itself.
"There is a huge market for qualified equine staff to work around the world. There are 4 million equine jobs worldwide and 21,000 in New Zealand, so it’s a viable career path for someone who is passionate about equestrian."
To ensure the course aligned with industry needs, she consulted with stud owners, high-level riders, coaches and equine business operators. The resulting programme covers far more than show preparation.
"It’s not just about showing. The course has four parts to it; horse care, training, events and health and we cover a lot such as starting horses, liberty riding, night shows, eventing and working with yearlings."
Mrs Evans is pleased with the enrolments for next year, many enrol for level three and continue on to level four. She said it was satisfying to breathe new life into the programme.
"It’s great to bring back that sense of pride and prestige in the Telford equine course."
