Gamekeeping student wins national award for excellence

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Connah Baker, aged 18, who studied at Reaseheath College,in Cheshire,  has been recognised as the top gamekeeping student in the country and in recognition of his passion, determination and considerable abilities, he has been awarded with the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation’s Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy.

This prestigious award, kindly sponsored by Musto is judged annually by the NGO.  It recognises the student who shows outstanding practical and theoretical skills and has the ability to be an ambassador for the sport. The award is now in its seventh year and was set up by the family of the late Frank Jenkins, a well-known gamekeeper whose career spanned six decades.

Liam Bell, Chairman of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, presented the NGO’s Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy to Connah Baker in the Main Arena at the Midland Game Fair on Sunday 16^th September. Connah also received a new Musto Highland Gore-Tex® Ultra Lite suit of jacket and trousers as well as an engraved tankard from the NGO National Committee together with a special gift from Frank Jenkins’ son and daughter (Mr Jenkins’ son is also a gamekeeper member of the NGO).

Following the presentation of the trophy to Connah, Liam Bell said, “Connah Baker is a worthy winner of this year’s Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy and I congratulate him on this success.  Connah is a remarkably mature lad, whose love for the job shone through. The references from his college and work placements were first class and the judges, who had to sort through a particularly strong list of nominees, picked him as a clear winner. He has a special talent and great aptitude, which will take him far in our profession.”

Connah, who does not have a keepering background said, “Winning the NGO’s Frank Jenkins Memorial trophy has been an amazing experience and I’d very much like to thank the NGO and Musto for supporting it.  I have been coming to the Game Fair since I was ten and always watched the awards being handed over.  I never dreamed that one day it would be me in the arena.

“I have gained a great foundation for my career at Reaseheath and winning this award will stand me in good stead during my hunt for employment.”

As well as winning the Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy, Connah was also a top student on this year’s Level 3 Extended Diploma in Land and Wildlife Management course at Reaseheath.  He has now completed his qualification, along with extra industry awards and is currently building on his experience in upland management with the aim of eventually becoming a head keeper on a grouse moor.  

Liam Bell concludes, “It is wonderfully, reassuring to see that new entrants to our profession are of such a high calibre.  It is particularly interesting to see that Connah is not from a keepering family, so his win is testament that the shooting and keepering world is open to anyone with the right ability and commitment.  I wish him luck and am certain he will continue to be a credit to our profession.”

Photocaption: Picture credit: Paul Quagliani.  Pictured: Connah Baker receiving his NGO Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy from Liam Bell, Chairman, National Gamekeepers’ Organisation

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Notes to Editors:

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation: The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) represents the gamekeepers of England and Wales. The NGO defends and promotes gamekeeping and gamekeepers and works to ensure high standards throughout the profession. The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation was founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that keepering was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation. Today, there are 13,000 members of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation.  www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk