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Friday 05 December 2008
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Advanced Groom

Groom: April Hart (18 years old)

Work: Yard Manager, Little Llandeilo Farm, Abergavenny

Endorser: Triple Olympic gold medallist Matt Ryan and his wife Marie


“I really like the way the ESCV works and it’s definitely a good idea for grooms because it is proof of your skills. The ESCV is down on paper and will be recognised wherever you go, plus it’s great to have confirmation of what you already do.

I would definitely recommend doing the ESCV. You don’t have to do anything different in your day to day work. The list of skills is well planned so it really focuses you. Matt always checks I know jobs properly - he quizzes me - and there are things in the Advanced ESCV I haven’t done before, so I am learning more. Sometimes I think I don’t know something, then realise I do! Other times I realise there are things I didn’t know in depth. One skill on the list is driving a lorry and I have to wait until I’m 18 to do that.

There will be things at the Elite level I know I can’t do, so that’s really something to aim for.

This is also good because as manager of the yard I get new people asking me what to do and I’m more confident helping them now because of the recognition of what I have done. As the ESCV is used by more and more grooms it will be easier for employers to know what you’ve really done….and I will have Matt and Marie’s signature to say so which is great.”

 

April Hart - ESCV
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan adds:

“We’ve had people come from colleges but what they’ve learned isn’t always what we do here. I prefer a much more open book. With the ESCV I’m not just going to tick the list, I question April because I need to know she’s on the ball. Sometimes you can think someone knows something but they’re not really clear.

The ESCV is time consuming but long term those who do it will go away from us with a great practical education and the right reference, which creates a benefit for other yards. I like the concept of the ESCV and if I could employ somebody, it would be someone with this type of skill recognition rather than a college certificate.”