The Farmers Mart Oct/Nov 2013 - Issue 30 | Page 12

EVENTS

M&S SPONSORS NEW YOUNG
LIVESTOCK PRODUCER COMPETITION
As part of its ongoing commitment
to encourage and support young
people working in agriculture, Marks
& Spencer (‘M&S’) will sponsor the
newly created ‘Young Livestock
Producer’ competition at this year’s
Scottish Premier Meat Exhibition in
collaboration with Scotbeef and the
Scottish Fat Stock Club.
The new competition will see three
new livestock classes created for steers,
heifers and sheep, (with three new
equivalent deadstock classes) which

are open to livestock that meet M&S
specification. The classes are open to
any young producer between 18 and 26
years of age, with the live judging taking
place at Caledonian Marts in Stirling on
Wednesday November 20th, followed by
the deadstock judging taking place on
Saturday November 23rd at Scotbeef,
Bridge of Allan.
As well as the potential prize money, all
participants will be invited to take part
in a ‘walk the supply chain’ event with
Scotbeef and M&S, so that they can see

how each element of the meat supply
chain interacts, seeing product from farm
to consumer.
Commenting on the announcement,
Anna Playfair-Hannay, M&S Agricultural
Technologist, said: “We are really pleased
to be supporting this new competition.
The Scottish meat industry is an
important supplier to M&S and through
our Farming for the Future programme
we are committed to supporting young
people who are starting out on a career in
agriculture.”

ROYAL HONOUR FOR 214TH
WESTMORLAND SHOW
HRH the Countess of
Wessex was the first
Royal visitor to the
Westmorland Show
which this year featured
everything from the
Cumbrian Axemen to
celebrity chef Phil Vickers
cooking Cumberland
sausages.
But as ever, the main
attraction was the grand
parade and presentation

of awards as cattle, sheep,
pigs and horses battled it
out to be crowned supreme
champion.
Craig Wilkins’s four-year-old
Shire horse, Oaklodge Maisie
took home the supreme
horse champion, the first time
he has ever competed in the
show.
Sarah Whitley (16) from
Harrogate, was delighted
that her pig, a 10 month old

‘First time he has
ever competed
in the show’
Gloucestershire Old Spot
nicknamed Tommy took home
supreme champion. Show
veteran Tommy was on great
form an judged “perfect for
his breed”. Robert and Elaine
Butterfield, from Bentham,

took home the supreme
cow championship, with
four month old Holstein,
Inglewood Gold Doll.

NHHS - KEEPNG PLOUGHING
TRADITIONS ALIVE
A dozen pairs of plough horses
and nine vintage tractors competed
at the annual Northern Heavy
Horse Society Ploughing Match
held in North Cave, which offers
good ploughing land to attract
competitors.
NHHS chairman Mark Richardson
said: “Over more than 30 years, we’ve
built it up into quite a big event and
people like to come along to watch
a little piece of history. People like to
see how land used to be worked –

12

Oct/Nov 2013 FarmersMart

and what hard work it was. “Not many
people plough with horses anymore
so we want to keep this tradition alive
and show people how everyday life
was for many farmers before tractors
came along. Ploughing matches are
all about demonstrating skill and while
it’s difficult in a tractor, it’s much
harder with horses.” The event is also
a major fund raiser – last year it raised
£1,500 all donated to the Yorkshire Air
Ambulance.

To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk