The BC Carriage Driving Society is excited to announce the BCCDS Brian Jensen Young Driver Bursary for 2024.

Brian Jensen was a long time member of the BC Carriage Driving Society. He was extremely active in the breeding, raising & training Fjords; importing and selling, showing, competing, teaching, and judging. Brian was an internationally certified judge and evaluator traveling throughout North America and Europe working for the breed he loved. He traveled to Norway many times representing Canada and the USA as a member of Fjord Horse International. Most importantly, he mentored and trained hundreds of other people and families to love the Fjord horse and carriage driving as much as he did.

The bursary has been created to promote and encourage more youth to become involved in the amazing sport of carriage driving, and develop a love for the sport. The $600 bursary will allow the successful youth to receive ten hours of driving instruction from a professional carriage driving coach. Successful applicants will learn about different aspects of carriage driving such as pleasure driving and combined driving events, and skills such as parts of the harness and how to harness an equine and putting to the carriage, safety measures, rein and whip handling and some basic driving skills in a safe manner. By the end of the ten lessons the youth should have a good foundation of what carriage driving is about and be able to continue building on their new skills to become proficient carriage drivers in the future.

The BC Carriage Driving Society (BCCDS) may give up to 3 bursaries this year to successful applicants.

Youth aged 12 to 18 as of January 1st of the year may apply.
Youth will fill out an online application found on the BCCDS website. The successful applicants will be chosen by a BCCDS committee within a week of the closing deadline. The committee will be looking for youth who show and demonstrate a keen interest in equines and the commitment to learn the sport of driving.

Deadline for applying: March 31st
The successful applicant will receive a BCCDS membership for the year and an HCBC (Horse Council BC) membership for the year. Successful applicants will be provided a list of the coach/trainers and it will be their responsibility to contact the coach and make arrangements for their lessons. The youth does not need to have their own driving horse. The coach will own or have access to a safe driving equine. The ten lessons the bursary provides for must be completed within one calendar year (end of March). At the end of the lessons, applicants are required to provide a few photos and a brief account of what they learned for future advertising purposes. Applicants will need to supply their own safety riding helmet and gloves.

Click to read the story of the 2023 bursary winner

Click to read the story of the 2022 bursary winner

Click to read the stories of the 2021 bursary winners

What is the list of available coaches in my area?

Review the list below for available coaches. Successful applicants with be provided a list of the coach/trainers and it will be their responsibly to contact the coach and make arrangements for their lessons. The youth does not need to have their own driving horse. The coach will own or have access to a safe driving equine. The ten lessons the bursary provides for must be completed within one calendar year (end of March). At the end of the lessons, applicants are required to provide a few photos and brief account of what they learned for future advertising purposes. Applicants will need to supply their own safety riding helmet and gloves. Please review the following list for a Coach available in your area. Successful Bursary Applicants are required connect with a coach from this list.
Bursary Coaches List

If you are a coach and are interested in participating in the BCCDS Bursary program, please read the Coaches Invitation. Then fill out the online Coaches application.