Students leaving Enniskillen Campus with an equine qualification are about to enter a global business venture, according to Professor Patrick Wall, Chairman of Horse Sport Ireland, the guest speaker at the awards ceremony.

Encouraged that the Campus covered both thoroughbred and sport horse education together, he said Ireland needed the best people for their industry and he said CAFRE graduates were great ambassadors.

He told graduates and students: “Don’t underestimate what you can achieve. Qualification is just a stamp, as long as you are on a learning curve to improve is important.” He said Ireland had great ingredients for a good horse industry, great pastures, climate, water and enthusiastic people.

“We have the foundations for a phenomenal industry here,” he said.

“Life is a journey so enjoy it. You are going to work at something you have passion about,” he said.

Head of Equine Education at the Campus, Seamus McAlinney, spoke of one of the biggest awards for students. Last year, he announced the first internship programme with Coolmore who sponsored one of their graduates, Adam Nesbitt to work in Australia for six months before continuing to work with Aiden O’Brien. Only recently, Adam led up one of the Ballydoyle winners at Royal Ascot. Now sponsoring another graduate in 2015, Seamus announced that this year’s successful graduate is Leon Carrick who will travel to Australia with Coolmore in August.

Looking at the past year, Seamus reported that 183 students enrolled on equine education programmes and 570 people attended equine industry training. Another 49 students participated in agriculture courses and 550 people undertook the Level 2 in Agriculture which ran over 20 weeks as a result of demand for courses in connection with the Young Farmers Payment scheme.

The top student on the Honours Degree in Equine Management was Caroline Chambers from Bangor; top Foundation Degree student was Emma Clarke, Enniskillen; top student on the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horse Management was Megan McGrory, Lisnaskea; top Level 2 Diploma in Horse Care student was Nicole Farrell, Florencecourt and the best performer in the Certificate in Forgework was Caolan Kelly, Craigavon.

In the agriculture programme, the top students in Level 3 Work-based Diploma in Agriculture were Colin Foster and Stuart Phair and the top students in Level 2 Work-based Diploma in Agriculture were Bryan McKinley, Jason Surphlis.

Seamus announced that since 1998, they believe around 94 per cent of former graduates and students are employed directly in the equine industry or working with horses, three-quarters of them in Ireland and the remainder elsewhere in Great Britain, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

There has been another competitive year for the racing team and the breeding unit have had a good year too.

International links continue to excite students, with work places throughout the British Isles, Michigan State University, Holland, Japan and Kentucky. Chinese students have visited the Campus through the support of Darley.

Mr. McAlinney also announced the establishment of a new “Enniskillen Equine Alumni” as an organisation which will facilitate business and social networking for members. Over 240 ex-students have already signed up.