Become a BHS Fellow

An expert in equitation and horsemanship, BHS Fellows are renowned throughout the global equine industry as an ambassador for the equestrian profession and a thought leader in the sector. 

Held by fewer than 80 people, including Carl Hester MBE, Ian Stark OBE, Yogi Breisner MBE, Jennie Loriston-Clarke MBE, William Micklem and Ferdi Eilberg.  

A Fellow is often the person that people go to for advice, knowledge, expertise and support during their career – as a Fellow you will be an inspiration for many. A Fellow is an admired trainer of horses and riders from grass roots level up to world class competition riders.  

You will lead others and most importantly, use your enthusiasm to share your knowledge and inspire and influence the next generation of coaches to continue the legacy you will have established. 

To gain the Fellowship, you will have a commitment to equine welfare and the continued development of training practices, both for horses and riders, continuously researching and developing your skills – a Fellow does not stand still! 

If you think you have the skills, knowledge and passion to become a BHS Fellow we encourage you to find an existing Fellow to mentor you through the process. If you do not know any Fellows in your area, please contact the BHS Education team and we will help put you in touch.

Hear from our Fellows 

Sam York, BHS Fellow 

“You can change lives through coaching, and I have been lucky enough to witness it. I hope that it inspires others to believe that this journey through the BHS system is one that changes lives, and that anyone who dedicates themselves to the mission and works hard can achieve their ambitions and dreams. I hope I can do a lot more in the future.”

Application Process

The General Fellowship assessment will be taking place in 2024.

Date: 24 and 25 October 2024

Venue: Wellington Riding, Hampshire RG27 0LJ

Syllabus and Guidelines: General Fellowship

Taking place across two days, candidates will be assessed on coaching skills, practical demonstrations, theoretical knowledge, stable management and the history of equitation.

If you are a Performance Coach BHSI and have the skills, knowledge and passion to become a BHS Fellow then we welcome your application.

The application is a two-step process.

Step 1:Please email your CV, covering letter and fee of £150 to the Education Team by 5pm 15 April 2024 to tracy.casstles@bhs.org.uk 

CVs are assessed by a panel of Fellows against the following criteria:

• Previous and present occupations
• Academic qualifications
• Equestrian qualifications
• Other equestrian work
• Competition experience
• Teaching/Coaching experience
• Details of regular trainers used, and study undertaken

Further details regarding what to cover in your CV is in the syllabus and guidelines.

Step 2: If your CV is accepted you will be invited to apply for the assessment. The fee for the assessment is £1,400. If you are a BHS Accredited Professional Coach you are eligible for a 25% discount and the fee will be £1050. If you do not feel ready to apply this time, your CV will not need to be resubmitted for reapproval as long as the Fellowship syllabus remains current, or if the syllabus is amended within this time, a minimum of 3 years from the date of submission.

Candidates will be required to deliver a practical presentation (at their own cost) to an audience on a date prior to the final assessment. The BHS Education Team will arrange and fund the assessor. These presentations will take place in July and the proposed date needs to be given at the time of application for the assessment. If a candidate does not fulfil the requirements of this section they will be allowed to repeat it once at a later date in August/September, but will have to cover assessment costs. Please note, failure to pass the presentation will mean candidates are unable to present for the assessment in October. Please see the link to the current syllabus and guidelines for full information.

In order for the application process and presentations to run smoothly please see below a summary of the timelines that must be adhered to:

• Deadline for CV, covering letter and £150 – 15 April 2024
• Deadline to apply for the Fellowship (if eligible) and provide at least two presentation date options – 20 May 2024
• Presentations to be delivered in July
• Presentation reassessment to take place in August/September at the cost of the candidate

A minimum of three candidates are required to run the assessment and there will be six places available in 2024.