Cathie Heald (left) and Elizabeth Paddy, winners of the 2003 NZTBA Overseas Training Scholarships.
Cathie Heald, 24, and Elizabeth Paddy, 23, are the winners of the two NZTBA Overseas Training Scholarships for 2003.
They were selected from seven applicants after interviews conducted last week by a five-person panel: Michael Martin & Sally Cassels-Brown (NZTBA National Office), Tom Burn (NZTBA Councillor & Wellington branch president), Geoff Turner and Henry Ward (NZTBA Wellington branch committee members).
Elizabeth was educated at Rotorua Girls High School and Howick College, and has a degree in Sport& Exercise Science from Waikato Polytechnic. She worked as a polo groom in Western Australia before joining Wentwood Grange, Cambridge as a stud groom in July 2001.
Elizabeth will take up the scholarship to the five-month Diploma Training Course at The National Stud, Newmarket, England in early February.
Cathie Heald grew up on a dairy farm near Takapau in Hawke's Bay and was educated at Dannevirke High School. She competed successfully at Pony Club and later, horse trials, and has worked for the past five years at Pencarrow Stud, Cambridge. Cathie will take up the scholarship to the Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Breeding Diploma course, also beginning in early February. NZTBA Scholarship students have a particularly fine record on the Irish course, winning six Medals (four Gold, one Silver and one Bronze) in the past twelve years.
The two Scholarships, each worth approximately $7,000, were established in 1991 by the Wellington branch of the NZTBA. The branch funds the Scholarships by way of an annual stallion tender scheme supported by studs, stallion and broodmare owners around New Zealand.
- Susan Archer
