2019-07-05 |
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Student Awarded £1,500 Scholarship from Ashby Show
A major agricultural show in Leicestershire has awarded a scholarship worth £1,500 to a rural enterprise student working at a leading property consultancy thanks to her innovative ideas to modernise the event.
Abigail Hicklin, a Harper Adams University student on a year-long placement with Fisher German, was awarded the scholarship from the Ashby Show, one of the largest shows of its kind in the Midlands.
Abigail Hicklin
The Ashby-de-la-Zouch and District Agricultural Society, which runs the show, awards scholarships to Harper Adams students who are taking an agricultural course and live within 25 miles of Ashby.
Applicants are asked to come up with ways to improve the show, with the best applicants being invited to discuss their ideas with organisers.
Abigail, who
works in Fisher German’s Market Harborough office, said:
“Ashby is quite a
rural show, but there’s a massive community around Ashby that the show might
not be appealing to.
“I suggested including an education area at the show or other attractions that might appeal to a wider audience.
“Also, it is important to cater to young farmers, who are looking at ways they might diversify their family farmland in the future, and people who are new to the farming industry whatever their age.
“With an ever-increasing population and more demands on space, farmers are going to have to be much more efficient in the future.
“So I suggested including cutting-edge farming technology at the show to show farmers young and old what the future of farming could look like.
“For example, I told the organisers about the ‘Hands-Free Hectare’ project – where a hectare of arable crop is grown by machines operating autonomously, rather than having farmers drive them. These machines could be demonstrated at the show.”
The panel was impressed with Abigail’s ideas, and decided to award her the scholarship.
Abigail
added:
“I came out of the discussion thinking it had been very challenging, but
I felt I put my ideas across well.
“When I found out I was awarded the scholarship, I felt very proud. It was a real confidence boost for me.
“Working at Fisher German in the rural sector has really helped expand my knowledge, and it enabled me to come up with some great ideas to improve the Ashby Show.”
Fisher German will have a stand at this year’s Ashby Show, which takes place on Sunday, July 14.
