Rosie Dymond: Recipient of John Longwill Agricultural Scholarship, Jerman Scholarship, Jill Willows Scholarship and the Richard Matson Scholarship.

Rosie Dymond, second year BSc Veterinary Physiotherapy and recipient of the John Longwill Agricultural Scholarship, Jerman Scholarship, Jill Willows Scholarship and the Richard Matson Scholarship.

“I applied for all the scholarships that the Development Trust offers at Harper Adams as, due to a previous degree, I am having to self-fund my tuition to make a very exciting career change”, says Rosie, from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.

“Having grown-up living and working at a boarding kennels and cattery, not to mention with my own pack of Golden Retrievers and Spaniels, I have always been surrounded by dogs. After my A levels I went on to do a Geography degree, during which I completed a work-based Animal Care course because I just couldn’t stay away.

“After this I spent two years working in a Local Authority as an Urban Regeneration Officer, before realising I’d made a mistake leaving the animal care profession. So I made the leap and went to work with a local branch of the Greyhound Trust, then decided to re-train as a Veterinary Physiotherapist, and I’m loving every minute of it”.

Life is certainly busy right now for Rosie, 25. “As I am self-funding, I am also working alongside my degree which greatly adds to the pressure. I am incredibly grateful for having been awarded these scholarships and am really looking forward to gaining some large and small animal work experience with veterinary practises. This is only possible as I am now able to take the time off of work to complete it.”

As it transpires, the support has proven even more valuable than that. “Due to the generosity of the scholarships, I also now have some additional financial backing which has allowed me to apply for some very exciting placements that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to consider due to financial constraints. These placements have a greater focus on rehabilitating working and sporting dogs, which is my area of interest. If I am fortunate enough to be offered a placement with them, I hope that the skills I develop there will be instrumental to my future career as a veterinary physiotherapist.”

While dogs are Rosie’s vocation, they are also a major enthusiasm away from her studies. “Outside of Harper I work my dogs as well as doing agility with my Spaniel who is much better at it than I am! I hope that with enough practise I’ll be able to keep up with him at competitions this summer. In the past I have also competed in the field, at obedience and in the show-ring”, she adds.