Correspondence from ex-students

Gemma Dickens
Former student
 
I was at Hartpury from 2000-2003, attaining a 1st BSc(Hons) Equine Science. Whilst I was there I represented Great Britain Young Riders on borrowed horses in India and won Team Gold, then succumbed to food poisoning before the individual! I also gained places in Grand Prix in Europe on my best horse, Larius.
 
I then became a Class 1 truck driver(!) in order to save funds to go travelling whilst supporting my two home produced grade As. I gave up riding to travel around the world including the Americas, Australasia, Asia and Africa.  
 
On my return I used my degree to gain a training contract with my current employer. I have since completed a post graduate qualification, ACA, and become a Chartered Accountant, purely to earn enough money to support my horses!  
 
I have recently purchased a 4 year old to start showjumping again, and hope to be back on the National circuit soon.

Hugh Riley
Former student now working at the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research Arable Crops Division
 
I came across the Hartpury site recently and noted that this is its 60th anniversary. I grew up near Burford, Oxon, and attended the Gloucester College of Agriculture in 1966-67 to do the NCA. This was an enjoyable and useful year, and gave me a good footing both for later jobs and studies. I remember many of the staff, though not so many names (except Mr Say, Mr Henderson and Mr Griffiths).
 
I especially remember the machinery lecturer who was from NE Scotland, and called Aberdeen Angus the ‘Rolls-Royce of British beef’ (a sentiment with which I quite agree).  
 
After Hartpury I worked for a few years on farms both in England and Norway, as well as various other jobs in between. Then I did a BSc in Rural Environment Studies at Wye College in Kent, and a PhD in Soil Science in Aberdeen. One of my fellow students there was Geoff Ramshaw, who I believe taught at Hartpury for several years later on. Since 1977 I have worked at an agricultural research station in Norway, on applied soil management, including irrigation, soil tillage, soil amendments and crop fertilization.
 
I see there have been many changes at the College since my time there. I shall be visiting the area next week, and hope to have a peek at how the College looks today.
 
Best wishes for the Anniversary celebrations!

Matt Smith
Brisbane, Australia

“Family Affair”

Hartpury University (part of the University of the West of England) was, to me, a place where I truly found a community of people that was so different to my previous university. After gaining my Degree at the University of Gloucestershire, I decided to partake in a Masters programme in Sports Management at Hartpury. If I am honest, it was not only the educational programme that interested me, but also the opportunity to be part of the professional football academy that Tom Radcliffe, Marc Richards and the team had put together.

In total I was a student at Hartpury for two academic years, the first year of my Masters I was on campus living in Cheltenham and the second year I was not required to attend Hartpury and completed my thesis from Australia (where I currently reside). During my year I was fortunate to be the first team captain and that turned out to be my favourite year of my educational experience. During the season we ended up un-beaten, only dropping two points all year, getting promoted into the top BUSA league and also, most importantly, winning the highest achievement in university Sport, when we became BUSA Champions. Towards the end of the year, me and several other players represented England Universities and I was also very lucky to be part of the Great Britain Universities team to play in the World University Games in Bangkok (2007). Only two other players were selected from the United Kingdom, the rest being made up of British students from the USA.

To that date, that year was my finest experience in my football career and it would not have been made possible with the capabilities and competences of Tom Radcliffe, Nigel Quincey and Marc Richards. Their ability as coaches, mentors and professional approach and background is the closest to professional football that I have ever experienced at that level. From a football perspective, my development from playing part-time with a semi-professional club to partaking in full-time football at Hartpury enabled me to gain the experience, develop my abilities as a player and also the opportunity to captain a championship winning team as a senior member has paid huge dividends into the professional career that I am implementing at the moment. Again, this would not be made possible without the guidance, support, belief and enthusiasm from Tom and the team.

Obviously, the niche differential that Hartpury holds in comparison to most of the other universities is that not only can you play football, full-time but you can also gain a respected qualification at the same time. Achieving a Distinction on my Masters programme and also winning the ‘Top Sports Management Student’ for my year has now enabled me to have a solid foundation to fall back on when my professional football career ends.

Today, I made my professional debut with ‘North Queensland Fury’ in the 2009/10 season in the ‘Australian Hyundai A-League’ playing 11 of the 12 remaining games last season. This season, I have signed a two year contract with ‘Brisbane Roar’ which is a dream come true and something I have been striving to do for a long time and I owe so much to Hartpury, Tom Radcliffe and the rest of the football development team for assisting me in getting to the level I am today.

Finally, if I could leave a last statement to fellow students/ footballers it would be to utilise your experiences from Hartpury University, both from a football and education perspective.  The football academy is a great pathway and experience to build onto a higher level of participation. Hartpury’s professional associations with a number of professional football teams is just one of many attributes that students can (if motivated to do so) utilise,  as well as guidance from Tom and other coaching staff and during my time at Hartpury they became more like family than staff to me.

Please pass my regards on to some of the players that are still there that know me personally (Lee Molyneaux, Alex Hards, Beng Ngwa, JP Podvoiskis, James Baldwin to name a few). And also to some of the players that are now part of the staff; Marc Richards, Paul Tassell, Mike Symons and previously Luke Buttery. To those that don’t, I wish you all the best in your academic and football careers and you never know, I might see you down under one day.

Enjoy your 60th year celebrations and enjoy the match!

Best wishes,
Matt Smith

Neil Curwen
Former student and current Governor of the College

When I was a student, there was a King in charge of the country and whilst food rationing was still in place we always had good meals which were taken in the main house which all staff were required to attend.

Each month a guest speaker came in to talk to the students and I was asked to do the vote of thanks twice, and each time, JD Griffiths (Principal at the time) would stand and say a few words and when it came to my turn I would have nothing to say as JD had said everything I had prepared!

There was only one course running and that was Agriculture, no females were at the College at this time and we covered duties including shearing (which I haven't done since) and milking.  Whilst vacuum pumps were used the dairy it was nothing compared to what it is today and whilst there were pre-war tractors on the farm the horses were still used to complete tasks and it really hurt when they trod on your foot!

Where the A-Level Centre is today used to be the main garage and all agricultural engineering and teaching used to take place there. There was no sports academy or lake as this was the main track through to the farm and the wood.  The equine centre was non-existent compared to now where the College has the largest centre in the world.

JD Griffiths wanted ex students to be on the governing committee and myself and one other student were voted on.  The governors met three times a year and discussed items such as how much farm staff should be paid and not a lot else!  In the 1980's the governors were re-elected and various sub-committees were formed.

 Malcolm arrived and the College came to life and is what it is today providing a variety of educational courses to over 3,000 students.

Martin Baber, former student and current College Governor
Churcham, Gloucestershire

I attended the Gloucestershire Farm Institute as it was known then in 1955/1956. There was only one course running at the time, general agriculture, which was described in the prospectus as “an opportunity for young men and women to obtain a grounding in the principles and practices of agriculture. The theoretical aspect of this work is supplemented by a thorough practical training on the Institute Farm.”

Hartpury was a special place as all the students wanted to be there. It was a very enjoyable year which is why I was prepared to be a governor and be able to put something back into the College, and ensure that students today get the maximum benefit from their learning experience.

Great friendships were formed at college, chiefly because we all had a common interest in agriculture.  There were 53 students and we were all residential.  I was in a dormitory of seven, our room was at the top of the stairs of Hartpury House.  The girls section was separate in another corridor and we weren’t allowed access! 

I recall that when anyone had a birthday a cold bath was the order of the day.  The kitchen and dinning room in Hartpury House was where the current Admissions Office is and we always had a cooked breakfast, lunch and a high tea. 

Staff such as Mr JD Griffiths, the Principal, Ken Riley and Don Say were inspiring and encouraged learning in a positive environment.  Friendships made then are still as strong today and our year group have had three reunions to date.  At the last one about two years ago we had 30 people in attendance. 

Together with my fellow governors, in our capacity as a governing body, we aspire to ensure that the student experience today is as good as it was when I was at Hartpury and that life long friendships and learning are formed.

Mike Hosken
Former staff member 1958

It was in or about 1957 that a Government white paper, known as the De La Warr Report, advocated day-release classes for young people entering agriculture, both as an end in itself and as preparation during any pre-institute or pre-college year. There were no such classes at or organised from Hartpury so funding was increased to enable the appointment of an Extra-Mural Course Organiser. I, Mike Hosken, got the job with effect from 1st April 1958.

It was my first teaching post, after college and farm work. I was allowed a gentle introduction, with some school contacts and minor topics within the Institute. This was allied with research and publicity aimed at developing a pattern of day-release courses. The winter of 1959-60 saw the establishment of four day-class centres, at Stroud, Thornbury, Cirencester and Gloucestershire Farm Institute itself. Classroom instruction between 10 am to 12 noon and 1 pm to 3 pm was based on the City and Guilds Agriculture Stage 1 scheme.

Four more centres were added in the following winter, at Moreton-in-the-Marsh (in a room at the Playhouse Cinema!), Lydney (Town Hall), Soundwell and Chipping Campden.

Added to this teaching experience, I took a correspondence course for the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, and passed the exam as an external student of London University. So by the start of 1962 I was better qualified when I applied for and was appointed to a new post, again designed to develop a pattern of day-release courses, this time in West Suffolk based in Bury St. Edmunds. Being a very small Authority, and my Honours year having been in Grassland Agronomy, I was to be in charge of school playing fields too!

Suffice it to say that over the next twenty-five years, but after greater difficulties than I had experienced in Gloucestershire, I did develop and run what was probably the smallest LEA agricultural day-class centre in the country, at and in conjunction with what was the last remaining non-LEA Agricultural Institute, at Chadacre: both have since ceased to exist. It was a happy co-operation, I was in a rut so deep that I rarely peeped over the top.

However, force of circumstance and the extremely limited staffing resource meant that any subject gaps had to be filled by the Organiser. Allied with an invitation by a colleague from neighbouring East Suffolk to draft a small book on the subject, I found an interest in what was then known as "Farm Records and Accounts". I became increasingly involved with such developments as the restructuring of the relevant City and Guilds exams, coping with the advent of VAT, and understanding the development of "home" computers and farm programs to run on them. I wonder if Hartpury College library still includes any of the four editions of my "Farm Office" textbook - perhaps even the ring-bound monograph "Linear Programming in Farming : A BASIC Introduction to Optimisation".

Anyway, fate was to decree that under one of the seemingly regular reorganisations of local government, West Suffolk was to be merged with East Suffolk and Ipswich Borough. The new Senior Officers determined that my little empire might be dispensed with and Hosken was encouraged to take a modestly enhanced early retirement. Which I did, with effect from the end of May 1987 - yes twenty-three years ago!

Then comes the interesting bit, though I'll spare you the details. Activities have included -

• Sailing my floating-cottage catamaran single-handed from Ipswich by easy stages to Gibraltar, and living in the harbour there for a couple of years.
• Two years of idiosyncratic studies at Reading University, including philosophy, geology, geography and cybernetics (plus a part in Gounod's Faust for good measure).
• Re-marrying: moving to a cottage in Scotland.
• Incredible ten-month tour of all the National Parks of western USA and Canada - Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Death Valley and many more - by Winnebago motor-home.
• Helping my wife establish and run a shop in Wigtown, Scotland's official Booktown.
• Three-year residence in the hills of Andalucía in Spain - not to be recommended.
• Repatriated, to Northumberland's pristine coast this time, at Seahouses.

Incredibly, I've been contacted twice in the last few months, the outcome of which could be publication of a text based on my "Farm Office" updated by the Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators. This might be a book or a website designed for self-tuition.

Kind regards, especially to those of my era.

Penny Baker

My two years studying equine at Hartpury College in 1994 were fantastic. I met some amazing friends who I am still in touch with to this day. The skills I learnt on the National Equine Diploma helped my career get off on the right footing. After graduating I worked in the equine industry for several years as an Events Manager. My success in gaining employment in this role was definitely attributed to the skills I gained at Hartpury as I used to help organise the equine events for the College, both at weekends and in the holidays. Having now diversified into my current role as an RSPCA Inspector, I deal with animals of every kind on a daily basis, however horses are one of the most common animals I see and thanks to my equine knowledge and general life experience gained at college, I know that I can deal with it professionally and confidently.

Happy Anniversary Hartpury!

Bob Perry, Harrison Hot Springs, Canada

I was a student at Hartpury Farm Institute either in 1957 or 1958 when Mr. Griffiths was the Principal.  I came from the Stroud area of Gloucestershire. I would like to make contact with fellow students from this time as I am planning a trip back to my birth place in Stroud after an absence of nearly 50 years.

Kate Elliott, Norwich, England

I heard it was Hartpury’s 60th anniversary and I thought you might be interested to hear what I have been up to since leaving.  I studied at Hartpury from 1999 and graduated with a 2:1 BSc (hons) Equine Science in 2003 as I completed a sandwich programme.

I have recently been shortlisted for the East of England Young Businesswoman of the Year Award and will find out soon if I have been successful. Fingers crossed! 

I am a joint managing director of marketing company and my role encompasses all aspects of client management, new business development and includes writing editorial copy and public relations activity for a diverse portfolio of clients in the rural sector and beyond.  I am very active in local business networks, running a Women in Rural Enterprise network in Kings Lynn for two years, and am often called upon to give presentations to other groups.  I deliver regular marketing workshops for Broadland District Council as part of their business start-up package, and also enjoy delivering enterprise education programmes in secondary schools, which involves mentoring students and teachers through a hands-on project. I also write on a freelance basis for leading titles including Absolute Horse and Horse and Hound magazine, where I was a regular eventing contributor.

Before founding my company in March 2006, I was a client manager for a South Norfolk PR and Marketing Agency specialising in the equestrian sector, where I took full responsibility for all aspects of client management and copy writing for a broad portfolio of clients. Prior to this, I worked for the International League for the Protection of Horses, where I was instrumental in the opening and running of their £2m visitor facilities at Snetterton. With responsibility for a full programme of special events, I gained extensive experience in equestrian events management and marketing within the tourism sector.

As a horse-owner and graduate of Equine Science, I have a particular interest in the equestrian and rural sector.  I graduated from Hartpury College in 2003 with a 2:1, receiving first class marks for my dissertation into the marketing of an equestrian venue which was based on ILPH Hall Farm.  

David Walker-Smith, Highlands of Scotland

Hi, My name is David and was known as David Smith when I was at Hartpury in the year 1964/65. When I left Hartpury I moved to Cambridge were I worked for the University setting up the department of surgery where we pioneered research into organ transplantation. We perfected various techniques and did the first human liver transplant in the UK at Addenbrookes Hospital and then went on to transplant Hearts, and Lungs at Papworth Hospital.  I retired from the hospital last year and now live in the highlands of Scotland where we fish and shoot and generally have a good time. It would be great to catch up with some of the other students of the year 64/65 at your 60th anniversary if any are still in touch.

 Richard Moore (Rocket), Berkshire, England

My Name is Richard Moore and I first started at Hartpury in 1988 when I was on a day-release course from school doing a GCSE in Agriculture and Horticulture. I passed my GCSE and then went on to work on a pig farm in Bentham for two years. I then came back to Hartpury in 1992/93 to do a National Certificate in Agriculture. Our class consisted of around 16 students which I am still in contact with some of them; our course tutor was Ceri Reece.  

Things I always remember about Hartpury. Our rugby team - we weren’t that good but it always was good fun and our inter-college challenges where we would go up to Riseholme College in Lincs and down to Duchy College in Cornwall and they would come to Hartpury for the weekend. We would all have a good time - there are lots of good memories from these weekends. I also remember our study tour when we went to France to another agriculture college. As we were a quite over enthusiastic bunch of students we got barred from every pub in the town so ended up on the river bank enjoying picnics and the local wine on several nights. We even got joined by the local acts from the circus that was in town.

I enjoyed myself that much that after passing my certificate I worked on a farm in Cambridgeshire for about a year and came back to Hartpury for the National Diploma in Agriculture where our course tutor was Tim Fretter. This was another good year and one I shall not forget as the bar manager then was John Williams and he knew how to host a party. I always remember when it was his birthday and we had a party for him.

After that I went and worked in Cambridgeshire until Foot and Mouth and then decided to get out of farming and do something else, so I decided to go back to Hartpury and do a National Diploma in Sport Science (Rugby), this was a new challenge for me as I was a mature student in a class of 16-19yr olds. I managed to integrate myself very well with them and became the camera man for the rugby academy. I had a good two years of study and then became Student President for the following year. This was a very successful year  I think, well that’s what I keep getting told by the people I’m still in contact with. I think it’s funny as well that still to this day the nickname I got at 16 sticks to me when I’m around anybody I have met at Hartpury, and I know the Principal (Malcolm Wharton) still calls me it.

In 2005 I moved on to Myerscough College where I was in charge of running the college bars and then became a full time warden and their social rugby coach. In 2009 I decided to take up a new challenge and moved to Bicton College where I was a full time warden there. I have recently moved to Berkshire College of Agriculture where I am a student development officer delivering enrichment activities and classroom talks on healthy FE.

Looking back at my time in Hartpury College I would like to thank Malcolm Wharton for saving the place when he first took over the reigns as I know it was close to closing down. I believe he is the heart of Hartpury.  When the Reunion happens I would love to come and meet up with previous students as I’m sure there will be many stories to be told. I look forward to hearing from former students.

Hayley Page, Faringdon, Oxfordshire
 
I studied BSc (Hons) Equine Science at Hartpury between 2003 and 2006. It was at Hartpury that I met my partner Craig Phelps, who was at Hartpury from 2002 leaving in 2006.  We now live in Faringdon, Oxfordshire and have a daughter who is now 4 years old.

After Hartpury I started my career in the scientific industry. I first worked for a DNA profiling company, then worked for the Institute for Animal Health in Compton helping to identify SNPs in the chicken genome.  I am now working for the Medical Research Council, phenotyping mice, to look for genes responsible for certain behaviours and to carry it over to human DNA work.

Chris Stacy, Gorsley

I attended Hartpury College, the Gloucestershire Farm Institute as it was known then, in 1958/1959. I completed a National Certificate in Agriculture.
 
I’m now 75 and look back on my college days as being lots of fun but also hard work.  There were just 63 of us at the Institute of which around 20 were girls. Girls had only been attending the college for a few years at this point being admitted for the first time in 1953/1954.  The facilities were nothing like they are today – things have really changed! I did however make lots of friends during my time at Hartpury and many are still friends today!

Ali Sandiraz, Gocek, Turkey

I have to say that I had a really great time at Hartpury College. Those years are really special for me even though at the beginning I had some difficulty because of the language barrier, however all the staff were very helpful especially Brendan Ward and Sarah Hanson. After having such a great experience Hartpury I would recommend every student to choose it and have fun there.
 
I now run my own company Eden Yachts which provides exceptional yacht charters throughout the Turkish Riviera and the Turkish Mediterranean.

Miss Samantha Bell BSc(Hons)VNS RVN MBVNA, former student 2003-2007

I was a student at Hartpury College on the BSc(Hons) Veterinary Nursing Science degree programme. I obtained my degree after three years of study at Hartpury College and am now working as a Qualified Registered Veterinary Nurse in a multi-discipline referral practice in Bristol - my dream job doing exactly what I wanted after finishing my degree. I am now embarking on the Diploma of Higher Education Clinical Veterinary Nursing at Myerscough College as long distance learning to enhance my degree further from Hartpury.
 
Whilst at Hartpury I was greatly involved with the Student Union in my second year of my degree and played for the Hartpury Hockey Team for the first two years. Wednesday afternoons of free-time consisted of either British Horse Society Qualifications, hockey or helping out on the Equine Therapy/Rehabilitation yard. As always student life at Hartpury was highlighted by the well organised and enjoyable events especially the Christmas and Summer Balls held each year. The Hartpury way is to balance life and work, its a perfect balance.

If you would like to share any memories of your time at Hartpury please contact leah.davis@hartpury.ac.uk