Southern District Field Day

May 18, 2024  •  General

YFC SOUTHERN DISTRICT FIELD DAY

 

Southern District young farmers and their supporters gathered to enjoy a fantastic day of fun and competitions on Saturday 18th May at their annual Field Day, organised by Lowick YFC and held at Nettleslack, Broughton Beck by kind permission of the Longmire family. It was a day of friendly rivalry and a chance for young farmers past and present to catch up and enjoy the sunshine.

 

With a raft of fairy tale themed competitions to take part in on the day there was something for everyone, including the Jack and the Beanstalk Challenge with Pennine YFC’s Ian Wells growing the tallest plant from seeds given at the Pre-Field Day Hand In. The Lakeland Dialect competition, to produce a piece entitled “A Favourite Fairytale - told in dialect” was won by Melissa Gorst from Crook YFC. 

 

As always, the cookery competitions gave the young farmers the opportunity to showcase their skills under pressure with Tom Nelson of Kent Estuary YFC taking a well- deserved 1st place in the Boys’ Cookery and Grayrigg YFC’s Lucy Gibson, Connie Guy and Katie also placed 1st for their creative Meal for a Seasonal Event. 

 

Chloe Capstick from Broughton YFC showed speed and skill taking 1st place in the girls Open Change Unit Liners competition and Grayrigg YFC’s Aidan and John Handley, Matthew King and Harry Harper took 1st in the Farm Safety Competition. Furness YFC’s Alex and Luke showed great speed in the Junior Wheelbarrow Handling competition and Lowick YFC’s Alfie and Bradley showed superb teamwork in the Junior Change a Bike Tyre competition. The Arm Wrestling proved a big draw on the day with Liusaidh McMaster from Broughton YFC and Ben Thompson from Lowick YFC placed 1st in the Ladies and Men’s competitions respectively.

 

Rosie and Alfie from Sedbergh YFC made the Junior Eating Challenge look easy despite some very unsavoury foods and were placed 1st. Pennine YFC’s Finn and Sean created the longest play Dough Snake, taking 1st place and Jade Pearson and Jenny Wood from Eden Valley took 1st place in the Pictionary Competition. Callum Mason from Kent Estuary YFC took a very well deserved first place in the Inter Lego competition and Carrie Tyson’s creativity was rewarded with first place for host club Lowick YFC’s Scrap Book.

 

Alice Woodburn, the Field Day Chair commented “Field Day was a fantastic day of competitions, giving the opportunity for Young Farmers to not only show off their skills but have fun too. 

 

The event was very well attended by past, present and future members, as well as many supporters and members of the community, being a great social event for people to catch up. 

 

Thank you to all the businesses, judges and stewards who supported the event, especially to the hosts of the different competitions. It was great to be able to host the Field Day on our family farm. 

 

I have been a member of Lowick YFC since I was 12, so I was incredibly proud of the club and all its members who not only put a lot of time and effort into host, but worked hard to win the Field Day too, which is only the second time we have done so in the club’s history.” 

 

At the end of an exciting and hard-fought Field Day, host club Lowick YFC were delighted to be placed first. The last time that club won the Cock of the North Shield was in 2014 when the club last hosted the Field Day, so taking the top place was a fantastic result for all the members who had worked so hard to put on an amazing Field Day. 

 

The overall results were as follows:

1st – Lowick (9647), 2nd – Grayrigg (9202), 3rd – Broughton (8953), 4th – Kent Estuary (8744), 5th – Crook (8528), 6th – Pennine (8178), 7th – Sedbergh (8110), 8th – Eden Valley (8006), 9th – Furness (7980), 10th – Cartmel (6250)

 

Trophies were awarded as follows:

Cock of the North Shield - Overall Winners: Lowick 

W. Proctor Shield – Pre-Field Day: Grayrigg

NFU Trophy – Industrial Section: Kent Estuary

Marsden Building Society Trophy – Fun Competitions: Grayrigg

Haesler Trophy – Co-operatives: Lowick

George Whitfield Trophy – Junior Stock judging: Lowick

Farming in the North – Girls Stock judging: Lowick

Paul’s Agricultural Perpetual Trophy – Dairy Stock judging: Lowick

Flower Arranging Dish – Flower Arranging: Furness

William Dargue Rose bowl – Best Overall Cookery: Kent Estuary

Westmorland County Agricultural Society Rose Bowl – National Cookery: Grayrigg

 Rusland Stock judging Shield – Stock judging: Lowick

Mrs Galbraith Cup – Display: Lowick

The Galbraith Owl - Boy’s Cookery: Kent Estuary

Mr & Mrs Armitage Plate - Sheep Shearing: Lowick

Lakeland Dialect Society Trophy: Crook

John Taylor Cup - Stock & Carcase Judging: Lowick

Lakes Rally Shield – Junior Competitions: Grayrigg

Barclays Bank Shield - Skill & Craft Comps: Pennine

Eden Farm Supplies Trophy – Machinery Handling: Lowick

Danielle Dixon Memorial Trophy -Best Overall Flower Arranging: Luke, Furness

Nat West Treasurers Cup – Best Club Treasurer: Kent Estuary

Junior Craft Plate – Junior Craft: Furness

John Dickinson Trophy – Most Improved Club Placing: Eden Valley

The Cheese Company Trophy - Club Showing the Greatest Improvement: Broughton 

Cookson Postlethwaite Memorial Trophy – Photography: Sophia, Grayrigg

Andrew George Denney Memorial Trophy – Junior Stock judging: Pennine

NFU TOW Trophy – Most Points Across all Classes: Grayrigg

The Best Pre-Field Day Exhibit: John Handley, Grayrigg YFC for his Hedgehog House

The North West Auction Trophy – Awarded to the winner of the Mock Auction: Bradley Thompson, Grayrigg

 

As the Field Day drew to a close, the young farmers took a well- earned break for a couple of hours before attending the night- time dance, to celebrate the end of a fantastic day.