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A High-Performance Athlete Finds New Horizons with the Grillo Climber

Our Sales, Marketing & Media Assistant, Liam, recently sat down with former Great Britain Para Trap shooter Allan Ritchie to learn about his journey as a high-performance international athlete and his discovery of a new passion – gardening with a Grillo Climber – after stepping back from international competition.

This December marks 10 years since Allan sustained a spinal cord injury that left him wheelchair bound. After five months of rehabilitation in the hospital, Allan’s friends encouraged him to return to shooting, a sport he loved and could still pursue from his wheelchair. Not only did Allan continue, but he also excelled, building an impressive career filled with remarkable achievements.

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A High-Performance Athlete Finds New Horizons with the Grillo Climber

Equipments supplied:

Ex-Display John Deere 3038E Ex-Display John Deere 3038E John Deere Z740R John Deere Z740R

A Remarkable Shooting Career

Allan competed in various shooting disciplines, but it was Para Trap that brought him to the pinnacle of the sport. In Para Trap, athletes use shotguns to break clay targets launched into the air, aiming for as many successful hits as possible. Open to athletes with physical impairments, Para Trap mirrors the Olympic Trap discipline, enabling athletes of all abilities to compete side by side at the national level. However, at the international level, athletes compete within specific categories: Male, Female, and Para.

“The Male and Female categories are further divided into Senior and Junior divisions, while the Para category is subdivided into Wheelchair, Upper Limb, and Lower Limb classes. This inclusivity is one of the reasons Allan is so proud of the sport. One of his standout moments was representing Scotland at the 2023 Home International, where he was the only disabled athlete among over 110 competitors from the Home Nations.”

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How have you found your apprenticeship with Double A & John Deere?

I have really enjoyed my apprenticeship at Double A, I have learnt a lot and have developed key skills during the 4 years. I have had great support along the way at college and in the workshop. It has been a challenging apprenticeship but it was worth putting in all the hard work and getting to graduate.

<h3 class=”content-image-70-30-section__row-title”>What skills have you learnt over the past 4 years that you will carry with you?</h3>

I have learnt a lot during the past 4 years, I’ve learnt a lot of life skills. I’ve learnt other skills such as problem solving, working with others, talking to customers and time management. I’ve developed skills I need to carry out my job such as using John Deere Service Advisor, I learnt how to use specialised equipment and diagnose a fault

<h3 class=”content-image-70-30-section__row-title”>Whats next?</h3>

I have been working on John Deere University, passing level 1 & 2. I have also put myself forward to learn about GPS & sprayers. I have been going out to these sorts of jobs with Danny, who is passing on his knowledge to me. I want to keep learning and progressing my skills, I’m looking forward to my future of furthering my technical skills now that I have graduated.

How have you found your apprenticeship with Double A & John Deere?
How have you found your apprenticeship with Double A & John Deere?

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