This year's Committee sees a mix of interests joining forces to headline your club
Chairman - Lesley Carnegie finally got her first Highland 4 years ago, and is not quite sure how she now has 4 - or how she became Chairman! Two of those are brood mares who Lesley hopes to have foals from next year. Lesley also still has her first 2 horses, Leo (32) and Duke (22), who are both retired. 5 dogs, 2 cats and 200 sheep complete the family!
Lesley works at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, where she looks after access courses, college links and study 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 Letherty 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 over five years. Her first pony was a rather opinionated and arthritic Highland who liked to 'dump' 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 11 years on she still has Harry who has recently been joined by a rather chunky and hairy Highland yearling 'West Lodge Alexander'. In her spare time Susie is a Public Relations consultant at Mackenzie PR in Aberdeen.
AHPS 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 25 years. Involved with horses from an early age, Karen came into Highlands in the late 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 Benfield Corporate Risk in her 'spare time', looking after the insurance needs of the Exploration and Production side of the oil industry.
Helen Gauld started her journey with Highlands about 20 years ago when she bought a yearling colt with her daughter at Aberdeen mart. They both became members of NESHPES and enjoyed many wonderful fun days and events with the club and made a great many friends along the way. She now has five ponies and has taken a bit of a rest from the show ring. Helen works full-time, enjoys good food, fine wine, good Malt and good company - but not always in that order!
