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Meet the BHS Durham Team
Durham
County currently has the highest membership in the North Region
with over 700 members.
The County Committee are extremely active, hosting a
range of activities including regular lecture/demonstrations, pleasure-rides and talks. |
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CHAIRMAN |
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Mrs Marianne Watts BHSI has been
the County Chair for Durham for almost thirty years.
Marianne lives with her husband, teenage son and three
dogs, at Arlaw Banks near Winston - the house in which she was born, many moons ago!
Marianne is a Freelance
Instructor and Chief Examiner for the Society - she has in the past, spent several years in New Zealand, where she was
Instructor for the South Island Pony Club Association.
Marianne works tirelessly for both The British Horse
Society and The Pony Club - she is the proud recipient of a Pony Club Cubit Award.
Loves: Gardening and breeding
Westies and Golden Retrievers
Hates: Speed cameras!! |
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SECRETARY/PRESS
OFFICER |
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Kate Rogers has ridden since she was seven years old and was lucky to have horses of her own as a teenager. Sadly, the horses had to go when university beckoned.
Kate went off to study Business and Law at DeMontfort University in Leicester. Here she also worked part-time at a local Riding School and set up and ran, the University Equestrian Team. As if that were not enough to keep Kate busy, she also trained for and achieved her BHS Preliminary Teaching Certificate. Kate hopes to do some teaching “once the weather gets warmer”.
Kate graduated in June 2004 and started working for a marketing company in Sunderland - she joined the BHS Durham Committee later that year too. She does not have a horse of her own at the moment but rides regularly with friends.
Kate loves: Cocktails, nights out and horses
and hates: Winter (specifically mud and snow), credit card bills and mangoes.
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TREASURER |
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Mrs Judy Hare is married to a
non-horsey farmer and lives near Barnard Castle. Judy has a grown up son, a married daughter and a dog called Heidi.
Judy has two horses, Lucky who is now retired and Woody who she enjoys competing in dressage.
First
loves: Family, animals and gardening
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Dislikes: Shopping and windy, wet weather! |
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COUNTY ACCESS OFFICER |
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Barbara Crozier lives near Consett with her husband Doug. Barbara
has been an Access Officer for almost six years and sits on the Local Access Forum, Transport Plan Partnership Forum and Rights of Way Liaison Group.
Originally from South Yorkshire, Barbara is a lifelong rider but only became a horse owner at forty. Barbara is now semi-retired and Dan, a connemara x arab, dun, gelding who she rides for pleasure, is kept at home, along with an assortment of other animals.
Barbara has recently started riding again following treatment for Myeloma (cancer
of the bone marrow) and is thoroughly enjoying being back in the saddle.
Loves: Light mornings, her dog, home, friends, honey, gardening, and draught cider.
Dislikes: Equestrians and car drivers who are not considerate of each other. |
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ACCESS OFFICER
(Darlington) |
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Mr Alan Ayers is Durham County
born and bred and now lives near Darlington. Alan ran his own Chartered Surveying practice before retirement and has
been an Access Officer for over five years. Alan owns a bay gelding 'Jack', who he rides regularly for
pleasure.
Loves: Walking and country pursuits
Dislikes: Political correctness and misuse of the English
language. |
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ACCESS OFFICER (East Durham) |
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Angela Johnson is a Business Analyst and has lived in Durham all her life. Angela started riding as a child at a local riding school and has been fortunate to own horses of her own for many years – she is pictured here with ‘Tam’ her very first horse. Angela also currently owns Bright Destiny, an Anglo Arab upon whom she competes in Endurance Riding.
Angela’s love of the countryside and riding for miles led to her interest in Endurance Riding - she has been a past Chairman and Secretary of Durham EHPS and is the proud recipient of a Bronze Award from the Golden Horseshoe Ride in 1997.
Angela has been a BHS member for many years and has been involved in access and bridleways on the Durham committee for three years.
Angela loves: dreaming about early retirement
and dislikes: people who always manage to look pristine and well groomed at all times!
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ACCESS OFFICER (Gateshead and South Tyneside) |
Mrs Kathy Atkinson
Kathy Atkinson is originally from Yorkshire but has lived near Walbottle since 1970 with her husband David. Kathy, was brought up on a farm and has therefore been around horses all her life.
Kathy's interest in bridleways was stirred when she noticed that tracks around Newcastle were being closed. Kathy called the BHS and the rest is history. Kathy concentrates her efforts on dealing with the loss of riding routes in the urban fringe - she has enjoyed much success! Kathy owns a gelding, 'Cyrus', who she rides regularly for pleasure.
Kathy loves:
and dislikes:
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ASSISTANT ACCESS OFFICER
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Marilyn Gibson lives in rural County Durham with her husband Jim, who runs his own business and their two cats Flo and Roger.
Marilyn has been involved with horses for over forty years and has competed in the past in dressage, long distance riding and eventing.
Marilyn has owned her current horse for eight years, he is an 11-year old Morgan gelding called NGM Triton. Margaret also owns a ride/drive Shetland pony called Budget.
Marilyn loves: Cooking, Writing (she would like to write a novel but has yet to get past 33,000 words!), and Singing and Performing, folk, pop and standards with her husband and friends.
She dislikes: Housework and Ironing.
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COUNTY ROAD SAFETY OFFICER |
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Margaret Hedley is originally from County Durham - her family were dairy farmers. Margaret’s interest in horses stems from her mother, who hunted with the Zetland.
Margaret joined the Pony Club and later, trained and qualified for the BHSII. A move to Low Fold Farm in 1984 led to the establishment of a thriving BHS Approved Riding School there (see Approved Riding Schools).
Margaret has a keen interest in natural history and derives great pleasure from several wildlife conservation areas in place at Low Fold.
Margaret has travelled extensively and lived and worked in Australia for two years. She hopes to travel more and plans to visit South America in the not too distant future.
Margaret loves: Wines - not just drinking - she has a special interest in the entire winemaking process and its history.
She dislikes: people who show no respect, for either animals or fellow human beings.
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COUNTY WELFARE
OFFICER |
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Mrs Carole Swinburn BHSII regd.
Carole lives near Marley Hill with husband John. They host many competitions and events at Hedley West Farm. Carole has
a daughter and a step-son.
Carole has worked in Welfare since 1992 and became County Officer in 2001, she
competes in most equestrian disciplines and desparately would like to win the lottery so she wouldn't have to work so
hard and could spend more time with her horses.
Loves: Competing, chocolate and life!
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Hates: Cruelty
and creepy crawlies. |
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