Glamorgan YFC members were ahead of Somerset YFC taking the top spot for Overall Team at the English Winter Fair YFC Stock and Carcase Judging Competition held on Sunday 20th November. The members, fought off a very high standard of competition from over 80 young farmers’ members across 14 teams entered into this year’s English Winter Fair YFC Stock and Carcase Judging classes. The one-day competition was hailed a great success following a very challenging year for YFC clubs across England and Wales. Staffordshire YFC County Organiser, Julia Taylor said “We had 14 teams and despite having a year of more virtual competitions, it was clear that Stock and Carcase Judging remains very popular with our members. We appreciate being able to hold this type of competition using the excellent facilities at the the County Showground in Stafford.”
The English Winter Fair took place at the weekend, 19th – 20th November and the YFC classes were kindly sponsored by AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) with very generous prize monies on offer. Young Farmers were able to judge Live Lamb and Beef Classes and Beef and Pork Carcase Classes thanks to support from the show organiser, Staffordshire & Birmingham Agricultural Society along with AHDB.
In the Live Lambs class, judged in Bingley Hall, with the lambs kindly provided by Mrs Madders & Mr Johnson, the team placed first were David Rees and Lauren David from Glamorgan YFC closely followed by Will Dale and Ollie Wilson of Shropshire YFC.
The Live Beef class was judged in the stalls, with some fine cattle provided by the very supportive exhibitors at the show. The team placed first were Caroline Perkins and Eleanor Price from Gwent YFC, closely followed by Molly Hamseley and Andrew Gregory-Campeau of Derbyshire YFC.
The Carcase Classes were all judged in the excellent Carcase Hall facility with carcasses very kindly provided by Messrs Bradshaw Bros. In the Beef Carcase class, the overall team were Zoe Stanbury and Verity Adams of Somerset YFC with Andrew Joseph and Rhianne Huntley in the runner up team position from Glamorgan YFC.
The final class of the day was the Pork Carcase Class. The overall team was won by Hannah Williams and Becca Garlick of Herefordshire YFC with the runner up team of Ben Goulding and Emily Bell from Somerset YFC.
The Michael Bradshaw Award for the Overall Stockjudging Team was awarded to Shoprshire YFC with Glamorgan YFC in second place and Derbyshire YFC in third place. The Michael Bradshaw Award for the Overall Carcase Judging Team was awarded to Somerset YFC with Glamorgan YFC taking second place and third place awarded to Worcestershire YFC.
After a full day of judging, The Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition Society Silver Challenge Cup, awarded for the Overall Team on the day went to Glamorgan YFC after they gained a grand total of 647 points in all the classes. They were followed by Somerset YFC in second place with 595 points and in third place, Worcestershire YFC with 589 points.
Stockjudging and Carcase judging competitions remain a very important and competitive sector in the Young Farmers Federations across the country, as this day has demonstrated so well. The facilities at the English Winter Fair are ideal for YFC to showcase this. Next year, the English Winter Fair committee will continue to host these competitions for YFC members and looks forward to welcoming the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs again, to take part in this very successful show, with their Live and Carcase Judging Competition Finals, which were also held again at the Show this year.
