Staffordshire Young Farmers were given the chance of a lifetime when it was announced that members would have a chance of meeting Her Majesty the Queen when she paid a visit to the County Showground on Friday 31st March as part of the Stafford 800 Celebrations. Her Majesty was due to join over 200 pensioners who were celebrating their 80th birthday in 2006, all from the Stafford Borough, for a Tea Party, as she too would be turning 80 on 21st April. It was decided at the County Development Meeting that these lucky individuals should be the County Organiser, County Chairman, County Vice Chairman and the winners of the Junior and Senior Member of the Year competitions. So Julia Taylor, Bryce MacKellar, Trevor Shelley, Reuben Moss, Vanessa Rowlinson and Toby Lawton got together to produce a display worthy of Royalty (well almost!!). With Bryce’s radical ideas, Vanessa tendency towards requiring perfection, Toby’s laminating skills and Julia’s baby bump taken into account this wasn’t going to be easy! We applied our collective ideas and produced a colourful display depicting the variation of our YFC activities.
On the big day we all met on the Saracens Head car park and piled into Julia’s car to be transported to the Showground. The security was definitely on full alert and Julia’s warning for no one to mention the word “bomb” even in a joke was taken into account by everyone including Bryce (Thank goodness!). We all had to be searched on entrance to the Showground and transported to the Ingestre Suite by coach. Everyone was in position at 11.00am ready for royal visit at 2:45pm (yes that’s right we were actually early!). Reuben’s concern that our fruit pastilles would not last the duration proved to be unfounded even when we discovered he had had twice as many as everyone else.
Eventually, the waiting paid off and despite being told that we may only get to meet The Duke of Edinburgh we were delighted when the Queen started to head our way. Her Majesty spoke to all of us, took an interest in our stand and commented on the silverware on display. The Duke of Edinburgh also took an interest in our activities. The Duke asked what our jobs were, asked Trevor what the state of farming was at the moment and enquired about the breed of Reuben’s cows! As the Royal party left the Showground by helicopter everyone agreed that it was definitely worth the wait. We were honoured to take part in this memorable occasion and it was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The following pupils should be congratulated for their amazing ambassadorial efforts.
Millie Coleman, Caitlyn Brown, Solomon Brookes, Ben Roberts, Jasmine Yeomans, Ben Broughton, Phoebe Broughton, Shannon Watmough, Harriet Beaton, Honor Halket & Annabelle lane.
Over last weekend they exhibited the schools sheep, having halter trained and cleaned them, in a variety of different competitions, often against farmers, and children of farmers for whom this type of showing is part of their business and something they do most weekends. This was a national competition and not once did they look out of place. Every judge and steward had nothing but praise for all of them.
After a particularly hard competition on Sunday, a businessman from Leicestershire was so impressed with the students efforts he approached the chief steward and put down the entrance and prize money to create a school specific category at the show. This is unheard of and is purely down to the efforts of our students. And off the back of this there will be schools categories at future Staffordshire shows. We won the school class.
In addition, I had several senior people from agriculture approach me over the weekend with offers of factory tours, talks and of developing other links with the school. These are people who I have known for years, in some cases, who are making these offers purely on the professionalism and attitude of our students.
Special praise should go to Ben and Phoebe Broughton who came 5th and 6th in their young handlers competitions, only being beaten by handlers who this type of competition is a way of life and to Annabelle Lane for coming 5th in the senior competition.
