News | 5 June 2024
Gold YELA recipients – presented at the Royal Windsor Horse Show 2024
(Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)
The Young Equestrian Leaders Award (YELA) is a scheme for young people aged between 13 and 25 who want to volunteer within the equestrian industry. Earning the gold certificate requires 60 hours of volunteering with three British Equestrian member body-approved establishments over a period of at least 32 weeks, so it’s a massive achievement for these members.
The Young Equestrian Leaders Award, YELA is a progressive award scheme, with the focus on learning and developing skills through volunteering. Candidates aim to gain a wide and varied range of roles and over the duration of the award, building upon the skills they have learnt.
It is aimed that through the scheme we are encouraging youngsters to become the leaders of the future, so it is crucial we impart best practice’s and guide them to develop their skills in a positive environment in which The Pony Club prides itself in leading the way.
YELA is a wonderful way to learn about the equestrian industry but also on a personal level, many candidates tell us that they have grown in confidence and self-belief and feel proud of their achievements and feel inspired to continue volunteering once they have completed the Gold Award.
The standard of the projects produced this year was extremely high. These young people standing before you, should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved and the impact they have had on not only other members within their Branch, Centre or riding establishment but of their own growth and development.
The projects have included fund raising events in the form of a very successful quiz and a climb up Ben Bhraggie Colspie mountain in Scotland to organising and running Arena Eventing and Show Jumping competitions. Everything has been recorded and planned from the initial idea for the project to delivery and evaluation once complete.
All seven recipients submitted outstanding work.
Here is the list of the amazing young people who have completed their YELA Gold and were presented with their certificates by Tim Gredley at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Congratulations on your achievement and we hope that they will all continue to volunteer with The Pony Club for many years to come.
The Young Equestrian Leaders Award (YELA) is a scheme for young people aged between 13 and 25 who want to volunteer within the equestrian industry. Earning the gold certificate requires 60 hours of volunteering with three British Equestrian member body-approved establishments over a period of at least 32 weeks, so it’s a massive achievement for these members.