Celebrating the future of farming: Bishop Burton College marks 50 Years of Stockmanship
The UKs longest-running College stockmanship competition celebrated its Golden Anniversary this weekend as Bishop Burton College marked 50 Years of its flagship agricultural event.
The competition features beef, sheep, dairy heifer, dairy calf and equine classes, all of which were judged by high-profile industry specialists in front of friends, family, students, staff and VIP guests .
Organiser Helen Martin explains the purpose of the event.
The stockmanship competition is designed to show learners exactly what is involved in getting an animal ready for show whether they are from a livestock, arable or non-farming background, she said.
They are in charge of diet, exercise and grooming and in the case of those showing livestock; they also have to train their animal to walk on a halter, which is not an easy task.
The learners are judged, by experienced stockmen and women, on personal presentation, presentation of the animal, knowledge of the animal and handling of the animal and they are showing in front of fellow learners, staff, family and friends so the pressure really is on.
Master Judge Lord Plumb is a former president of the NFU and the European Parliament, the only Briton to ever hold the post. He has also recently been awarded the prestigious George Headley Award for outstanding service to the sheep industry.
He was encouraged by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the entrants.
Who said agriculture was finished? He said. Once more we are beginning to see that there are tremendous opportunities in the future for agriculture to produce food and energy, and these students are the future.
Its also good to see these young people doing something down to earth and practical something we would see as real agriculture.
Sheep judge John Geldard is the former chairman of the Northern branch of the National Sheep Association. He has also been named Farmers Weekly Farmer of the Year and has also been awarded the RASE Excellence Award and the RASE National Agriculture Award.
He too was impressed with what he saw.
He said: This event is absolutely fantastic. Its inspiring that these students are here demonstrating their capabilities. Its clear theyve all put effort in.
As with all competitions some were better than others, but they were all of a high standard and all of them have a bright future in agriculture. Its nice to be judging here today as the sheep industry enjoys a period of prosperity.
Charlie Clarke (19) of Skipton took the first place ribbon in the sheep class with a two shear Texel.
Im thrilled, said Charlie. Ive been working with the ewe for about three weeks and although Ive done a little bit of showing before Ive never done any carding.
This result will give me the confidence to go and do something with a couple of my own sheep.
The Overall Stockperson of the Year went to Lauren Nicholson and her dairy heifer.
Lauren (19), is a dairy farmers daughter from Whitby.
She said: Im really delighted as the beast was playing up a bit. To get the Overall award was a bit of a shock, but its great.
Chairman of Holstein UK Bernard Liddle judged the dairy section.
There have been some very good heifers and calves and a massive cross section of students. Those that put the effort in stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Equine Stockperson of the Year went to Jess Martin (17) of Louth in Lincolnshire who showed 16-year-old Belgian warmblood Finlay.
She said: Ive been spending as much time with him as possible grooming, trimming and bathing him.
Ive done showing before but not in hand and Im astonished we won as I thought wed messed up the trot-up.
Show director of the Great Yorkshire Show Bill Cowling was in attendance throughout the event to represent the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, who sponsored the competition.
He said: Its terrific. Some of these people will go on to show and be winners of the future and this kind of encouragement is just what they need.
Results
Sheep class winner: Charles Clarke
Dairy heifer class winner: Lauren Nicholson
Dairy Calf class winner: Cat Gardiner
Beef class winner: George Bulmer
Equine Stockperson of the Year: Jess Martin
Overall Stockperson of the Year: Lauren Nicholson
Overall Stockperson of the Year (Reserve Champion): Charles Clarke
Overall Equine Stockperson of the Year (Reserve Champion): Kate Galloway
Grooms Award: Sherise Sleaney