Chairman – Lesley Carnegie. Lesley finally bought her first Highland pony, Purple Heather of Craignetherty, in 2005, and seems to have acquired another three since then – home-bred Hunter Macleod of Raedykes (aka Donnie), Oulie of Craignetherty and Faibhle of Kirkcarrion. Lesley and her husband are looking forward to the challenge of backing Donnie this year! Completing the collection are Duke, an elderly TB, 4 dogs, 2 cats and about 200 sheep. Lesley works at Robert Gordon University where she looks after access programmes and study skills support.
Vice-Chairman - Amy Sylvester-Evans. Amy is a saddler and harness maker who trained at Cordwainers College, London before returning north and buying the existing 'Wrights of Huntly' workshop in 2005. Amy now runs Grampian Saddlery Workshop from Lethenty Mill, Inverurie. She bought her first Highland seven years ago - Mackenzie of Gargunnock. She then found herself buying Newton Crown three years later to compete - doing a wide range of activities until he had an accident a couple of years ago and has sadly been on field rest since. However, Amy is hoping to bring him back into work slowly this year.
Club Secretary - Susie Shepherd has been the secretary for six years. Her first pony was a rather opinionated and arthritic Highland who liked to deposit her 'very experienced' friends! Unfortunately arthritis got the better of him and he had to take things a bit slower. At this point Harry the Welsh Cob entered her life. Over 13 years on she still has Harry who was recently joined by a rather chunky and hairy Highland 'West Lodge Alexander'. In her spare time Susie is a Public Relations consultant at Mackenzie PR in Aberdeen.
Show Secretary - Karen Stewart is one of the club's original founding members, and was the club's first secretary. Now acting show secretary, Karen has been involved with the club in one way or another for the last 27 years. Involved with horses from an early age, Karen came into Highlands in the early 80s via her husband Robin, when he gifted her a Highland foal 'Karen of Arbeadie' who went on to become one of the founding mares of their Arbeadie, Coulnacraig and West Lodge studs. Now based in Durris, Karen works for Aon in her 'spare time', looking after the insurance needs of the Exploration and Production side of the oil industry.
Lesley Ritchie was introduced to Highlands at the age of 6 when she was bought a yearling Highland gelding at auction. This led to an appetite for challenge and over the course of her horsey career, Lesley, in partnership with her mum, has owned and brought on a number of Highland ponies as well as hunter and event types, with the main focus on ridden activities. Lesley currently co-owns Mill Angus, a 5 year old gelding she bought as a three year old and who she successfully showed under saddle last year.
Jill Munro has had Highland ponies in her life for over 10 years and now runs the O'Noth Highland Pony Stud which consists of stallion Erray Ash, four brood mares, some youngstock and not forgetting Rannoch her first Highland pony. Jill enjoys breeding, riding and showing her ponies when she can manage to fit it all in around work. Jill works as warehouse administer for an agricultural chemicals company. As well as her ponies Jill also has three lovely Beagles that she breeds and shows in her spare time!!!
Jenny Shepherd began a steep learning curve when her daughter decided that horses were for her. Since then Jenny has been head groom and hospitality manager for family and friends at shows around the North-east! Having been a NESHPES ‘helping hand’ for a number of years now the committee felt it was time that Jenny officially became a committee member. Jenny is looking forward to taking on the roles of head of hospitality and anything else that is thrown at her – as long as it doesn’t involve holding a horse!
