On Sunday 28th April The Staffordshire YFC Young Stockjudge and Stockman of the Year Competition took place by kind permission of the Abbotsholme School Farm in Rocester with the dairy cows being judged nearby by kind permission of John and Tracey Chamberlain of Holly Hurst Farm, Marston Montgomery. Competitors were required to judge 4 rings of animals, Dairy cows, Breeding Ewes, Pigs and Beef Cattle, place them and give positive comparative reasons to the master judges. The overall winners on the day were as follows:
Overall Senior Member – 1st Harriet Wilson, Eccleshall YFC; 2nd Jake Manning, Lichfield YFC; 3rd Johnny Wilson, Uttoxeter JNFU.
Overall Intermediate Member – 1st Paul Brown, Eccleshall YFC; 2nd Sally Leese, Eccleshall YFC; 3rd Rob Mollatt, Uttoxeter JNFU.
Overall Junior Member – 1st Alicia Smith, Chase YFC; Joint 2nd Sarah Beswick, Leek YFC and Daniel Weaver, Stone YFC.
Once the team points had been combined, the clubs were positioned as follows:
Junior Overall Young Stockjudge Team of the Year – 1st Chase YFC, 2nd Uttoxeter JNFU, 3rd Leek YFC
Overall Stockman of the Year Team (Intermediates and Seniors combined and the Overall Team with all points combined) – 1st Uttoxeter JNFU, 2nd Eccleshall YFC, 3rd Chase YFC
Stockjudging is one of the many competitions organised by Staffordshire YFC and gives members the opportunity to utilise their skills with regards to judging and understanding of the make-up of an animal, market demands, and communication, observation and presentation skills which are transferrable in their future career or education path.
County Chairman, Polly Baines said “This year were really pleased to have our Stockjudging Competitions Day supported by Shires Vets, who came along and gave competitors an array of free gifts and encouraged the members who were taking part. The top three Overall Winners in each age category also received prize money which is kindly sponsored by The Staffordshire and Birmingham Agricultural Society. This has helped to make the day a great success for everyone who has taken part.”
A composite team made up of the highest placed competitors in each again category will go forward and represent Staffordshire YFC at the West Midland Area eliminator on Sunday 30th June, hosted by Herefordshire YFC.
To view a full set of photos from the day, please click here
