Soldier with Bright Future Recognised

A soldier who has embodied grit and determination over the past 12 months has been named as Best Soldier with an award at the Great Yorkshire Show.

The Best Soldier Award is made annually to member of the Yorkshire Regiment, with a presentation in the Main Ring.

This year’s honours go to Private Joe Kelsall, 23, whose passion for soldiering and sporting ability combined have proven him to be a formidable and motivating presence within Alma Company.

Private Kelsall joined the 1st Battalion of the regiment in July 2021 and immediately impressed his leaders and was selected for the Battalion Cambrian Patrol team, participating in an arduous and exacting international military skills competition.

In addition to participating fully in his company’s training over this period, Private Kelsall also competed in the Battalion’s Patrols Competition and was a member of the winning team in the Battalion’s Inter-Company Battle Race.

Already established as a soldier of equipped with physical and mental robustness Private Kelsall was selected for the Battalion’s hugely successful First XV during the Army Rugby Premiership season.

However, as a mark of his professionalism and commitment to soldiering, he took the decision to remove himself from the Rugby team mid-season in order to focus his attention on preparation for a Potential Junior Non-Commissioned Officer promotion course. Latterly, Private Kelsall has once again proven his sporting prowess and physical dominance by competing in the Battalion’s Novice Boxing Competition. He progressed through the preliminary rounds to the finals, and ultimately won his Super Heavyweight bout against a heavier and more experienced boxer.

His citation reads: “Private Kelsall has consistently demonstrated a level of physical robustness and mental resilience that belies his rank and would normally be associated with far more experienced non-commissioned officers. He has quickly established himself as a central character within his company and has consistently demonstrated that he can be relied upon, regardless of the demands of the task at hand.

“Pte Kelsall has been identified by both his fellow soldiers and his company’s officers as a leader of the future, and one who should promote quickly into demanding roles. In less than one year’s service, he has displayed the skills, qualities and attributes that would be expected of a soldier with much greater experience.”

The Yorkshire Regiment Best Soldier presentation takes place in the Main Ring at 5.30pm on Wednesday 13 July.

The Great Yorkshire Show has become a four-day event after a raft of changes were implemented at the 2021 show due to Covid 19 regulations.

Tickets for the show have now sold out. Tickets will not be available on the gate. The opening times are 8am to 6pm on all four days. To see what is happening on which day, go to: https://greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/whats-on/

EDITOR’S NOTES

• The Great Yorkshire Show is England’s premier agricultural event, organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), a registered charity supporting rural Yorkshire.
• YAS supports and promotes the farming industry through health care, business, education and scientific research.
• The Society is supported by its family of businesses including Fodder, Yorkshire Event Centre, Pavilions of Harrogate and the Harrogate Caravan Park as well as events Great Yorkshire Show and Springtime Live.
• Businesses and events held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in 2019 contributed £73.7 million to the economy.

CONTACT

Jo Francisco
PR Manager
Direct Line: 01423 546215 | Mobile: 07954 007414
Email: jof@yas.co.uk

Sara Lamper Press officer
Mobile: 07759 795990
Email: sara@saralamper.co.uk