Cumbria YFC writes:

More than 50 young farmers gathered in Penrith at the weekend to take part in the YFC Stockman and Young Stockjudge of the Year competition.

YFC members judged dairy cows, butchers cattle and butchers lambs, placing them and giving reasons to the master judges.

All of the 54 competitors completed an animal health questionnaire, while Cumbrian Young Farmers received a masterclass on what to look for in pork and bacon pigs.



Grayrigg Young Farmers Club member Michael Packham was awarded with the Cumbria YFC Stockman of the Year title.

Matthew Jenkinson of Pennine YFC won the Young Stockjudge of the year category.

The Northern Area round of this competition will be held at Low Foulshaw Farm, Levens on 13th July.

Full results:

Cumbria YFC Stockman of the Year:
1st Michael Packham, Grayrigg
2nd Neil Brough, Raughton head
3rd James Hayllar, Pennine.

Young Stockjudge of the Year:
1st Matthew Jenkinson, Pennine
2nd Lizzie Bland, Penrith
3rd Simon Graham, Skelton.  

Highest scoring Club:
1st Pennine
2nd Kent Estuary
3rd Penrith

Young Farmers from Grayrigg, Kent Estuary, Sedbergh, Crook, Lowick and Broughton YFC Clubs cycled up Hardnott, the steepest road in England, followed by Wrynose, Honister and Whinlatter to raise money for Mountain Rescue. 

District Chairman Stephen Knowles said: “YFC raises a huge amount for charity over the year.

"We knew that Mountain Rescue had had a busy year and wanted to help by raising funds.

"Cycling over the 4 mountain passes seemed appropriate. We climbed over 5,000 feet and covered 48 miles and raised over £2,000”

East Riding YFC writes:

East Riding YFC has raised nearly £900 in it’s first ever charity tractor road run.

More than  30 tractors took to the roads on Sunday 1st June in an effort to raise funds for Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Hull Royal Infirmary Neurology Department. 

Tractor enthusiasts braved cloudy skies and heavy rain to take part in the event, even though many of them were driving vintage tractors with no protection from the elements.



Tractor drivers came from all parts of the East Riding including Huggate, Driffield, Grindale, Pocklington and Holme on Spalding Moor. 

YFC members also joined the run from the Holderness area.

Liz Vickerton, East Riding YFC County Chairman said: “The event exceeded all our expectations – we never dreamt of raising in excess of £800.”

The run set off from Laburnum Farm, Etton and was led by John Sleight on his Nuffield 10/60. 

“It was great to have such an age range of tractors, and drivers, on the run,” John said.

“The oldest tractor was from 1940 and we had an 08 plate too,” he added. 



Jenny Sleight, who helped to organise the event, thanked everyone who had donated before, during and after the day.

“Money was received from all areas and is still rolling in now – people have been very generous."

For more pictures and to upload your own photos, visit the YFC photo gallery

Just wondered how many people in Cumbria are putting in their orders for the vaccine for when it becomes available in our area.

We gave Young Farmers the chance to win the opportunity to have a Farmers Weekly photographer attend one of their events and feature it in the magazine by uploading their picture from the recent Blackpool get-together onto our website. Here are the winner and the two runners-up (the runners-up just get the glory!).

Winner: Ceredigion YFC - featuring Buddug Lloyd, Sara Downes, Anwen Evans and Enfys Evans.

Members of Silsden with Skipton

Members of Westbury on Severn Club

Jenny Sleight of East Riding YFC writes...

More than 500 Young Farmers from the East Riding of Yorkshire Federation of YFC took part in 75 competitions this weekend as part of their annual county rally.

Classes ran throughout the day and saw members take part in flower arranging, fish filleting and live craft demonstrations.

There were also some more unusual competitions, including the yard of ale challenge, cream cracker eating and gift wrapping.

Brandesburton and District YFC took home the trophy for the most points on the day, while Thorngumbald YFC came a close second.

A further eight trophies went to Brandesburton and their members for individual and team achievements. 

Bridlington & District YFC won the trophy for clubs with under 23 members and Bainton & Distirct YFC took the cup for clubs with under 28 members.

Winners of many of the events will now represetnt their club and county at the Northern Aread Field Day on 14 June at Brandesburton near Driffield, when East Riding YFC will welcome members from all of the North of England to the finals.

Rally committee chairman Sam Benson, from Howden YFC, praised the efforts of the teams taking part.

“The statics shed was buzzing from 8am with members displaying their hard work showing skills in cookery, crafts and other creations,” he said.

East Riding YFC County Chairman, Liz Vickerton said: “Maybe not everyone goes home with a certificate or trophy, but by taking part they gain experience and it is amazing how you see members grow in confidence every time they take part in the rally.”

It’s been a few years since I was a student, but with talk of final exams and dissertations on the Fwispace blogs, I got a bit reminiscent about my college days.

It seemed fairly normal when I was there, but looking back, I realise how bizarre my university could be at times (its annual attempt to give us a ‘taste of Yorkshire’ by making as many staff as possible wear flat caps seems particularly odd now I’ve left).

And it appears that agricultural students are also recognising the quirks of their educational establishments.




In a Facebook group of the same name, members are completing the sentence: ‘You know when you go to an agricultural college when…’

I particularly liked Harper Adams student Hayley Wright’s suggestion (“when friends having guns isn't concerning”) and Michelle Orton's picture of bank vole capturing (apparently a 'proper subject', pictured below)...

 ....but here’s the top ten of the other suggestions:

If you've got any more to add to the list, post them below!

Southern District Young Farmers took part in more than 100 competitions last weekend at their Annual Field Day at Gutterby Farm, Whitbeck.

 

A few of you might have seen the Farmers Weekly team walking around Blackpool during the YFC Young Farmers agm a few weeks ago.

We were fairly easy to spot, seeing as we were dressed in resplendent bright yellow t-shirts, plastered with the Farmers Weekly logo.





Making us even more eye-catching, the t-shirts were all extra large – fine for the tall blokes in the team, but not so great for me, Isabel and Faisal, who all ended up looking like munchkins wearing yellow dresses.

As you may gather from this description, I think it’s fair to say we weren’t looking at our best, and I doubt any of us would have really chosen to wear those t-shirts under normal circumstances.

Which is why I found a Facebook message I received from one Young Farmer from Cheshire last night so funny.

“I didn’t realise that you lot actually worked for Farmers Weekly,” he wrote.

“I thought you were just having a laugh! Then I saw your photo at the top of the page looking all swish. And thought oh my god she’s real!”

We may not be all there, but yes, I’m pretty sure we’re real.

• Farmers Weekly Facebook group
• I want one of the Farmers Weekly agm t-shirts Facebook group

For the first time this century Hereford YFC has won the Herefordshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs County Rally.  After a hard fought few months of competitions, ranging from Stock Judging to Cookery and Cake Decorating to Auctioneering, Hereford YFC narrowly beat second placed Kington and third placed Welsh Newton on Saturday at the main competitions day, this year held at Hall Farm, Leinthall Earls, by kind permission of Sir Thomas & Lady Dunne and Mr & Mrs Stuart Hutchings & Family.

The rain held off for much of the day which saw a good turn out of visitors. The HFYFC Promotions Committee Chairman Charlie Ward said "It's good to see the support that the YFC movement has, we are very grateful to all of our loyal helpers, to Brightwells our Rally day sponsors and of course to the members who make the event possible".

The evening Rally Dance this year was postponed to a later date due to a problem with the entertainments license, the federation are hoping to have a new date shortly.

Some of the competitions held at the Rally now go forward to the Three Counties Show on Friday 13 to Sunday 15 June where Herefordshire will be vying to retain the coveted Lord Lieutenants Trophy for the winning county.

Members from all of East Riding of Yorkshire Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs will gather on Saturday (24^th May) at Manor Farm, Laxton, near Howden for their Annual County Rally.

The County Rally is the biggest day in the YFC calendar where members will take part in over 75 different of competitions.  The schedule includes a wide range of events from the serious to the skillful, educational to the euphoric and fun to the frivolous! 

The Rally Committee, chaired by Sam Benson from Howden YFC is made up of YFC members from Goole YFC, Newport YFC, Howden YFC and South Axholme YFC.  They have been working hard since October to prepare for the event which will be enjoyed by members aged 10 to 26 from all 15 East Riding YFC clubs.  Sam said "It has been hard work but we have enjoyed putting together the schedule and preparing for the day". 

The County Rally is a great day out for all the family and many of the classes on show will be promoting The Year of Food and Farming.  Visitors will be able to see the members static exhibits including crafts, photography, cookery, art and even bale farm animals!

Alongside the static events, active classes run from 9am until approximately 4pm.  Members can be seen stockjudging, modelling outfits they have made, tractor handling, flower arranging, cooking and cream cracker eating!  Also new for 2008 is the Northern Area's Got Talent Competition so expect to see a range of talents on display as well as some budding Simon Cowell's and would be Amanda Holden's!!

Winners of many of the events will have the honour of representing their club and county at the Northern Area Field Day on 14th June at Brandesburton near Driffield when East Riding YFC will welcome members from all of the North of England to the finals.

Last years overall runaway winners were Brandesburton YFC and they will be aiming to defend their title again this year and lift the much sought after Lady Katherine Phillips Trophy.

Sam Benson is just hoping for good weather, a fun day and to see all the hard work of his committee pay off.  "It doesn't matter who wins as long as everyone has a great time!" he added.

Members of Shropshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (pictured below) raised more than £10,000 for Breakthrough *** Cancer, the Motor Neurone Disease Trust and the Severn Hospice by cycling to Blackpool from Shrewsbury.

The 28 riders pedalled 120 miles in two days, raising more than three times their original estimates.

The proceeds will be split between Cancer Research and the Laura Persey Trust Fund, which funds courses in rural skills and agriculture for young people.

Has your club raised any money or held a charity event recently? Let us know by either writing a post on this blog (just click the 'write a blog post' on the right) or email caroline.stocks@rbi.co.uk