Northern Area Weekend 2025

Mar 16, 2025  •  General

Cumbria Young Farmers - Best in the North

 

Teams from Cumbria, Yorkshire, East Riding, Northumberland, County Durham and Lancashire came together at The Valley leadership Academy and the Royal Court Theatre, Bacup on the 15th and 16th March to compete against each other at the Northern Area Weekend hosted by Lancashire YFC. Members took part in speaking, pantomime and ballroom dancing competitions, played badminton, rounders, netball and 5 a side football and showcased the very best young farmer skills and talents in a weekend of friendly rivalry.  

 

The Cumbria teams once again showed the other counties why they are the very best in the Northern Area and came away with a whole host of trophies and awards continuing their winning streak of previous years. The Saturday competitions got off to a fantastic start with the Raughton Head YFC team of Oliver, Olivia and Emily placed 1st for Cumbria B in the Junior Public Speaking (16 and under) competition. Cumbria C’s Andrew from Sedbergh YFC and Iestyn and Maisie from Crook YFC were placed 3rd. Cumbria A’s Caldbeck YFC team of Isabella, Georgia and Sophie were placed 4th. Isabella was delighted to be placed 1st as Best Chair with Oliver placed 2nd and Sophie was placed 3rd for Best Proposer of Vote of Thanks in the overall competition results. 

 

Molly, Amelia and Phoebe from Furness YFC for Cumbria A were delighted to be placed 1st in the Junior Reading (14 and under) competition. Raughton Head YFC members Mia, Emily and Sophie and Skelton YFC’s Grace, Rebecca and Milly were placed joint 5th for the Cumbria C and B teams respectively. Molly was awarded Best Chair and Phoebe and Molly were awarded Best Readers.

 

Crook YFC’s Maisie, Callum, Will Black and Jack Strickland took 2nd place for Cumbria A in the Brainstrust (21 and under) competition with Crook YFC’s Lola Armitstead, Anna, Poppy Livesey and Matt Wright for Cumbria B placed 4th . Eve Bland, Ben Handley, George Geldard and Harry Cornthwaite from Kent Estuary YFC were placed 6th for Cumbria C. 

 

The After Dinner Speaking (28 and under) teams were up against some tough competition in Bacup, but the Cumbria B team consisting of Kate Rowland, Robbie Tuer and Josie Mitchinson from Raughton Head YFC and Ben Handley and Rosie Parsons from Kent Estuary YFC took 1st place and proved once again that the Cumbria teams were the ones to beat! Cumbria’s C team of Lauren Bates, Ella Batey, Philippa Hall and Alice Reid from Wigton YFC and Rachel Armstrong from Greysouthen YFC took 6th place and Lowick YFC members, Leah Clough, Ben Cooper, Alice Woodburn, Luke Hodgson and William Longmire placed 7th. Ella Batey took 2nd place for Best Chair, whilst Robbie Tuer took 1st place and Alice Reid was placed 2nd for the Best Speaker. Rosie Parsons was placed 2nd for Best Proposer. Alice Woodburn was placed 1st and Ben Handley placed 2nd for the Best Respondent on Behalf of Visitors and Luke Hodgson was placed 2nd for Best Respondent to the Speaker. 

 

The young farmers taking part in the Situations Vacant (16 – 21) competition did Cumbria YFC proud with Jess Walker of Greysouthen YFC taking 1st place for Cumbria B, Alice Fawcett from Pennine YFC taking 2nd place for Cumbria A and Kent Estuary YFC’s Ben Handley placed 4th for Cumbria C. In the Situations Vacant (22 – 28) competition, Chloe Dawson of Kent Estuary YFC took 2nd place for Cumbria A, Leah Clough from Lowick YFC, took 3rd place for Cumbria B and Ella Batey from Wigton YFC took 8th place for Cumbria C. 

 

The Member of the Year competitions are always hotly contested and Kent Estuary YFC’s Rosie Parsons was delighted to secure 3rd place for Cumbria A. Ella Batey from Wigton YFC, was placed 5th for Cumbria C and Raughton Head YFC’s Kate Rowland was placed 10th for Cumbria B. Cumbria C triumphed in the Junior Member of the Year, with Furness YFC’s Molly taking a very well-deserved 1st place. Maisie for Cumbria A and Callum for Cumbria B, both from Crook YFC placed 6th and 9th respectively. 

 

Cumbria continued to shine throughout the weekend and was placed 1st in the Ladies’ Netball (16 - 28) for the Cumbria B combined team from Crook and Greysouthen YFCs. Skelton YFC placed 3rd for Cumbria A and Kent Estuary YFC were placed 7th for Cumbria C. The Skelton YFC 5 a Side Football (16 – 28) team were thrilled to take 1st place for Cumbria A and Broughton YFC for Cumbria B and Brampton YFC for Cumbria C were also pleased to be placed a respectable 3rd and 4th. 

 

Although not in the top placings, the Raughton Head YFC Badminton (10 – 11) Cumbria A team of Liam and Jack played well on the day and took 3rd place. Caldbeck YFC’s Cumbria B team of Leah and Ted also played well and were placed 7th overall. Those teams taking part in Rounders (12 – 15) greatly enjoyed their games  with the Raughton Head YFC Cumbria A team delighted to take 2nd place. The Cumbria C team from Kent Estuary YFC placed 6th and the Kirklinton YFC Cumbria B team placed 7th.

 

Continuing the weekend’s winning streak, the mixed Ballroom Dancing team comprising of members from Crook, Eden Valley, Furness, Grayrigg, Kent Estuary, Lowick and Sedbergh YFCs were thrilled to be placed 1st for Cumbria A , with their many hours of rehearsal time paying off. Also delighted were Raughton Head YFC with a well-deserved 1st place in the Cheerleading competition also for Cumbria A. Hot on their heels were the Cumbria B Greysouthen YFC team placed 2nd and Cumbria C’s Skelton YFC team in 4th place.

 

The Kent Estuary YFC members taking part in their Pantomime “Snow White” gave their all on the stage at The Bacup Royal Theatre and were thrilled to be placed 3rd for Cumbria B. Grayrigg YFC were placed 6th for Cumbria A and Sedbergh YFC were placed 7th for Cumbria C. Chloe Dawson was delighted to be awarded 2nd place for Best Supporting Actor for her role as the Evil Queen. 

 

After a fun filled and action-packed weekend of competitions, Cumbria YFC were delighted for Cumbria A to be placed 1st, Cumbria B 2nd and Cumbria C 4th. This is the 13 consecutive year that Cumbria YFC has won the Northern Area Weekend and their success is acknowledgement of the commitment and skill that our young farmers continue to strive for year after year. Those teams who were placed 1st and 2nd in the Junior Public Speaking, Junior Reading, Junior Member of the Year, Brainstrust and Situations Vacant (16 -21) and (22 – 28), After Dinner Speaking, Ballroom, Cheerleading and Sports competitions will go on to compete at the NFYFC Finals.