It’s been another busy year for staff, students, animals and wildlife at Hartpury University and Hartpury College. As 2025 edges ever closer, here’s a look back at some of the highlights from the past 12 months.
JANUARY
Four Hartpury University and Hartpury College alumni featured in an eight-part documentary series released by Netflix, that took viewers behind the scenes of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship.
More than 200 delegates headed to Hartpury for the International Hedgehog Rehabilitators Conference. Carers of sick and injured hedgehogs from fourteen countries shared knowledge, research and ideas with the common goal of slowing the decline of the European hedgehog.
Staff and students from Hartpury University and Hartpury College joined the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, heading out of the classroom to survey bird activity across the campus.
The first industry-wide equine carbon calculator was announced by technology industry leaders, Farm Carbon Toolkit, as part of a unique collaboration between Hartpury University, Derby College Group, Sparsholt College Group, and White Griffin.
FEBRUARY
Hartpury announced the appointment of esteemed British actor and presenter, Martin Clunes, as their inaugural Chancellor.
A thought-provoking sculpture was displayed at Hartpury as part of a tour of the UK designed to spark discussions with young people about the dangers of weapons and violence.
Hartpury proudly supported the seventh annual Mind Your Head campaign, organised by the Yellow Wellies Farm Safety Foundation.
Children and teachers from five Gloucestershire schools returned to Hartpury to experience the benefits of equine-assisted learning with HorseBack UK.
MARCH
British Racing’s Horse Welfare Board announced the results of Britain’s first ever Thoroughbred Census, undertaken by Hartpury University in 2023. The survey disclosed invaluable information on the lives thoroughbreds lead after leaving racing.
Hartpury University became BUCS National Football Champions for a sixth time after beating Chichester 1-0.
Hartpury Netball became National Schools Finals champions in an historic first, after winning the U19 tournament at Oundle School.
Hartpury University FC won the Hellenic League Division One title by beating Moreton Rangers FC 0-4, thus gaining promotion to the Hellenic Premier Division (Step 5).
APRIL
Hartpury College announced that they had retained their 'Outstanding' rating following an Ofsted inspection that took place from 27 February to 1 March 2024.
Staff and students rounded off a successful lambing season, during which 220 ewes lambed in just four weeks. Hartpury's satellite farm, Okle Clifford became home to 425 healthy lambs, alongside their mothers.
Hartpury joined the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) recognising the institution’s commitment and contribution to welfare standards and reflecting its approach to providing the best life possible for horses on campus and nationwide.
Hartpury welcomed 20 new members to its Tech Box Park SME Accelerator, an initiative that offered a range of scale-up support to SMEs from all over the UK.
MAY
Veterinary nursing programmes at Hartpury were fully accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) Veterinary Nurse Education Committee (VNEC) for the next five years.
Hartpury University announced the launch of a brand new MSc Biodiversity Conservation degree.
There was a double football victory to celebrate after the men’s and women’s teams were crowned English Colleges Football Association (ECFA) National Champions on the same day.
The 13th annual Alltech-Hartpury Equine Student Conference brought together undergraduate and postgraduate student presenters from 10 UK institutions to present their research.
Hartpury University student Tilly Abbott featured as part of BBC Countryfile’s special programme themed around Mental Health Awareness Week.
JUNE
The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire presented 15 apprentices from the county with the Anne Cadbury Apprentice Award, during a ceremony held at Hartpury College.
Gloucester-Hartpury became Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby champions, with no team able to keep them off the podium for a second consecutive season.
Martin Clunes was installed as Chancellor of Hartpury during a spectacular day of celebration at the College’s Prize Day, where student successes and achievements were recognised in the Hartpury Equine Arena.
Hartpury celebrated the remarkable achievements of their rowers at the highly competitive National Schools Regatta, securing the institution’s most successful National Schools Regatta ever.
JULY
Hartpury joined 400 other global educational institutions in signing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Accord.
The university announced it would use funding from the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) to demonstrate the potential of advanced wireless connectivity (AWC) technologies such as 5G to transform farming practices, increase efficiency, and support sustainability.
A Shropshire-based equestrian made history at the NAF Five Star Hartpury Festival of Dressage, by representing Iraq at the country’s first ever international dressage competition.
AUGUST
Hartpury was represented by alumni, students and staff at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, continuing a long tradition of Hartpury links at the highest level in sport.
Gloucestershire-based Olympian Tom McEwen led a glittering field at this year’s NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials, following Team GB’s outstanding gold medal-winning performance at the Paris 2024 Games. The event incorporated the British Eventing National Championships, following the cancellation of Gatcombe’s Festival of Eventing.
Hartpury University ranked in the top three UK institutions for teaching by full time postgraduate students in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2024 and was named a top five UK university for overall postgraduate satisfaction.
Hartpury College celebrated record A-level and BTEC results, with many students achieving high grades. BTEC students achieved an overall 99.8% pass rate, with 70.7% of them achieving a Distinction grade profile. A-level students achieved an overall pass rate of 96.7%, with 10 out of 14 subjects achieving a 100% pass rate.
SEPTEMBER
57 Level 3 Extended Diploma Uniformed Protective Services (UPS) students and four staff members from Hartpury College took part in a multi-agency exercise, designed to test and enhance the capabilities of first responders during a simulated marauding terrorist attack (MTA) in Gloucestershire.
Hartpury University retained its 6th place ranking in the UK for teaching quality, in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide for 2025, and remained in the top 20% of UK universities for its impact on ‘local growth and regeneration’, following the fourth publication of the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) released by Research England.
Nearly 3,000 students attended WellFest 2024 in the Hartpury Equine Arena, an event that has been part of the institution’s Freshers’ Week programme for 11 years.
Hartpury University became an education provider to the Premier League, creating a Student-Athlete Scholarship Programme that allows Premier League Academy graduates to progress their education and explore career paths within the sports industry.
OCTOBER
The stadium at Hartpury University and Hartpury College was renamed the ‘4ED Hartpury Stadium, with Vodafone’, to support the 4ED Foundation, a charity set up in honour of former Gloucester Rugby player Ed Slater who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in July 2022.
Hartpury Sports Coaching Centre kicked off its Coach Development Portfolio, aiming to provide valuable football coach development provision to Gloucestershire and the surrounding regions.
Hartpury University contributed to the latest National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy, published by leading wildlife charities People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS).
The indoor arena at Hartpury Equine hosted the SoGlos Gloucestershire Business Awards, celebrating the very best of the county’s diverse business community. The event showcased venue hire possibilities for the future.
NOVEMBER
Former A-level student Ellie Kildunne was named World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Player of the Year and included in the World Rugby Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year along with five other England players.
Hartpury University celebrated the success of its student-led cider, now being served on draft at the Legends Bar and the 4ED Hartpury Stadium.
Phillip Cheetham, Equine Director at Hartpury University and Hartpury College, was awarded the prestigious Medal of Honour by British Dressage in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the sport throughout his esteemed career.
Staff, students and their families returned to the spectacular setting of Gloucester Cathedral on 7 and 8 November 2024, for the annual graduation ceremony. Martin Clunes was also officially installed as Chancellor of Hartpury University.
DECEMBER
Hartpury University joined forces with the Cirencester and Stroud Branch of Parkinson’s UK, Inspire Drums, and the University of Wolverhampton to explore the potential benefits of drumming for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Hartpury College announced the introduction of two new T Levels in Animal Management and Behaviour, and Animal Science and Management during T Levels Week. The T Levels will welcome their first cohort of students in September 2025.
Home Farm officially announced the installation of the state-of-the-art DeLaval Voluntary Milking System (VMS) V300 – a robotic milking system that allows a cow to be milked when it wants, which can be up to three times a day on average.
Hartpury University will use £3.4m funding from Sport England to evaluate different approaches to supporting physical activity and narrowing inequalities in communities across the country. The National Evaluation and Learning Partnership for Place is a four-year evaluation programme led by experts at Sheffield Hallam’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) and supported by Hartpury University, Collaborate CIC, Coventry University, and Substance Ltd. It aims to understand and explain the barriers and opportunities for physical activity, as well as how these vary based on local contexts. More to follow in early 2025.
