Graduation ceremonies for equine students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) took place at Greenmount Campus in County Antrim. The event celebrated those who completed higher education programmes at CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus, with qualifications validated by Ulster University.

Nadia Donnelly from Omagh and Coraigh Lynch from Greysteel were among the graduates who attained First Class Honours in the BSc (Hons) Equine Management degree. Awards were made across BSc Honours, Foundation Degree and Certificate of Higher Education programmes in Equine Management and Equine Science.

Katrina Godfrey, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, told graduates they had made an important investment in their skills and knowledge that would underpin their future careers.

CAFRE Director Paul McHenry described the day as a milestone. He said the graduates should recognise their achievement as one step in a lifetime of learning and take ownership of their career direction with purpose and confidence.

Guest speaker Joe Osborne presented prizes. Osborne, Managing Director of Ochado Advisory and a former managing director of Godolphin Ireland, advised graduates that their futures were a blank canvas to be shaped by the decisions they make. He also spoke about the role of sustainability in the equine, agriculture, food and horticulture sectors.