Polwhele House has appointed Kyle McCullock to be the Head of Riding at the school, responsible for all riding instruction to Polwhele pupils, care and maintenance of the horses and facilities – and discovering the equestrian stars of tomorrow.
Kyle joins the school from London where he worked with vulnerable young people as the yard manager and instructor at the inner city non-profit, Ebony Horse Club.
Kyle said: ‘I have always been passionate about horses and their welfare. It’s particularly rewarding to pass on my own knowledge and to watch the children of Polwhele House develop into young equestrians. I’ve witnessed first-hand how much it can build confidence and help children develop into respectable young people.’
Set in 35 acres of land, Polwhele House provides riding lessons to pupils of all ages and abilities with a fully-equipped riding school.
The school’s riding facilities include five stables, a tack room, boot room and a feed store. A 20m by 40m sand school holds lessons in a safe environment and a full set of show jumps and gymkhana equipment is used for mounted games and training for external competitions. The school also has large paddocks and extensive grounds where pupils can hack and canter.
Polwhele House offers equestrian scholarships annually from September of each year to provide opportunities and development for talented young riders in Cornwall. Scholarship benefits include a means-tested bursary toward fees at Polwhele House, free riding lessons and a significant role in the riding community at the school. Equestrian scholarship assessments are held annually in the Lent term, and children from any school can apply.
Kyle continued: ‘From September I will be actively developing the equestrian Scholarship programme by providing pupils with a broad range of equestrian knowledge, partaking in competitions, rallies and possible off site trips to visit equestrian experts. I am looking forward to helping Polwhele House stables develop and gain approval from the British Horse Society. In the long term I would love to get Pony Club accreditation.’
Alex McCullough, Headmaster of Polwhele House, commented: ‘We are passionate about education and believe that academic, sporting, and creative lessons give children the opportunity to explore their many talents and develop a true sense of self. Kyle is an excellent addition to our staff team and will encourage and support our young riders throughout their education at Polwhele House.’
