AN Andover teenager has become the only female to have completed a blacksmith’s course at her college.

Cheyenne Korbutt-Brown now has her own forge near her home in Amesbury Road, Weyhill, after passing the course at Kingston Maurward College, in Dorset.

The course – which had 20 male students enrolled – usually takes two years to complete, but the former Test Valley pupil passed it in a year.

However, despite the teenager’s promising start, she has reached a stumbling block in her career path as no funding has been made available by the Skills Funding Agency to the National Farrier Training Agency (NFTA) – which manages training – for apprenticeships in the trade.

The funds have been frozen for a year following the NFTA being deemed as inadequate in an Ofsted inspection in February.

Cheyenne is now looking for a local farrier who is willing to give her work experience to keep her newly-acquired skills honed.

The 16-year-old became interested in the art of a blacksmith as she watched local farrier Dave Hensley work on her horse Cookie.

She undertook work experience with Mr Hensley and started the course at Kingston Maurward in September.

Cheyenne said: “I have always been interested in manual things. I don’t like computers and stuff, and did some work experience with my farrier and it seemed really fun.

“I like the thought of working outside and working for myself with horses, as I love horses.

“It was difficult doing the two-year course in one year but I just got stuck in. It was a lot of hard work but it was worth it.”

If you can help Cheyenne to find work experience with a farrier, email cheyenne_135@hotmail.com.