A HORSE lover from Middlesbrough has won a Queen Elizabeth Scholarship worth £6,000 to help him achieve his ambition of becoming a farrier.
Paul Gray will be presented with his award by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman David Brewer, at the Royal Warrant Holders' Association's annual lunch, next month in London.
The 29-year-old is a qualified riding instructor and has travelled the world working on horse ranches and teaching riding.
The award ensures that he can complete his four-and-a-half-year apprenticeship and is working with farrier John Firth, of Wakefield.
He said: "I work with customers, shoeing horses of all shapes and sizes as well as developing my metalwork skills in the forge.
"To do this well, I have to develop a trust between myself and the horse."
The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust's aim is to advance education in modern and traditional crafts and trades in the UK.
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