Local woman Tracie McDermott from Broxburn was named best student, having completed the second year of her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Equine Studies.

Kirsty Laird, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, took the prize
for best student at the end of the first year of her
Higher National Certificate/Higher National Diploma course; Bobbie Denholm (pictured right) from Ladybank in Fife was best student on the Certificate in Horse Management course; and Tammy McWilliams, from Muirkirk in Ayrshire, was best student on the Preparation for Racing course.

A total of almost 260 students received certificates from Mary Mulligan, the Labour MSP for Linlithgow, who also presented prizes to the top 40. After the ceremony she revealed that she is seeking urgent talks with the Scottish Funding Council to demand the completion of a review of the way it provides cash support to the specialist colleges – like Oatridge - which educate and train workers to meet the worsening skills shortage in vital rural industries.

She had heard that the College has struggled for six years because funding has not matched the number of students it has recruited. The review of the funding mechanism was promised two years ago, but was put on hold this year.

Principal David James told the audience of students, families and friends that despite the need for 22,000 new workers in the landbased sector by 2017, there has been no funding for growth. Oatridge, he said, had exceeded student targets year-on-year and had the Funding Council matched student numbers, the College should have received an additional £2 million.  The situation was made worse by a “disappointing” settlement for the academic year starting in September and the fact that none of Scotland’s Countryside Colleges has been awarded European Funding Support for 2008/2009.

Mr James said: “This unfortunately has led to Oatridge having to review its financial forecasts and reduce expenditure accordingly. It has been a difficult time for all staff, especially those affected by the changes.

“Had we been fully funded over the past four years it would have enabled the Board to further improve resources for our learners and reward accordingly the most important asset of any organisation: its staff.”