The Farmers Mart Dec/Jan 2017 - Issue 49 | Page 5

Farm News

Young Farmers show stockjudging excellence

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YOUNG FARMERS PROVED THE future of livestock farming is in safe hands after award-winning performances at The National Federation of Young Farmers ’ Clubs ’ ( NFYFC ) Stockjudging competition finals at the English Winter Fair in Staffordshire in November .
Competitors as young as 13 years old were among the finalists judging pigs and beef , live and carcase in the first competition of NFYFC ’ s programme for 2016 / 17 .
Around 80 members took part in the event , representing nine counties from across the Federation .
But it was Herefordshire , Yorkshire and Staffordshire that proved they knew the most about beef and pigs by winning the five team trophies between them . Yorkshire and Herefordshire also excelled in the individual categories too .
All smiles from the winning Herefordshire team .
Sister and brother Fay and Lee Thomas from Eardisley YFC in Herefordshire were part of the team who won the John Spear Trophy for best overall team .
Fay , who is current County Chairman for Herefordshire , said : “ We live on and have been brought up on a family farm in Kinnersley , Herefordshire , with suckler limousin herd and flock of ewes . Picking the stock is always a family effort , thanks to all the skills we have learnt from YFC stockjudging and transferred into our work .
It has been a great honour and privilege for me and my brother to be amongst the winning team and to make our family proud . Huge congratulations to the other half of our team , Megan Watkins and John Hanson .”
Steward Katie Brian , Senior Knowledge Transfer Manager at Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board ( AHDB ) who were one of the sponsors , said : “ It was great to see so many members from across the country , especially all the younger members who were competing for their counties . The older members need to watch out for these talented youngsters coming through .”
NFYFC ’ s Competitions Chair Oonagh O ’ Neill said : “ It is always encouraging to see so many young people practising skills that are key to the industry and then excelling in our competitions .”

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