LIVESTOCK made a welcome return to the Young Farmers Club Southern District Field Day thanks to the determination of chairman Jonathan

Schug, writes Farming Reporter Justin Hawkins.

Like most agricultural events in the area last year, the field day was forced to go ahead without stock because of post-foot-and-mouth restrictions. But thanks to the Department for Rural Affairs (DEFRA) the show licence, successfully applied for by Mr Schug, the popular stock-judging and sheep-shearing competitions went ahead on Saturday at Coupland Beck Farm, Appleby.

Mr Schug, this year's Field Day Chairman said: "It was marvellous to have them back, it was just like a normal year. There were a few more rules and regulations to abide by and things took a little longer but, overall, it went very well and everybody was glad to see them there.

"A lot of people were quite eager to have their animals on display. It's important that we get back to showing them and get back to normal."

Around 500 young farmers turned up on the day to take part in the 96 different competitions at what is the highlight of the Southern District's competitive calendar.

"It was a good day all round," said Mr Schug, "a lot of the general public came to have a look."

The Mr and Mrs Armitage Trophy for sheep shearing was taken by Broughton YFC and the stock-judging shield was won by Kent Estuary.

The Market Trader competition was won by Matt Rawlinson and Dave Wright, of Kent Estuary. In the skills competitions, Kent Estuary also won the boys co-operative section by building and racing a go-kart. The Stars in Their Eyes competition was won by Pennine YFC.

Louise Dawson and Alec Smith from Crook won the salsa dancing competition.

In the design competition, Amy Richardson from Eden Valley won the designing an outfit category, Hazel Cornthwaite from Lowick designed the winning room, and Louise Dawson from Crook came up with the winning garden design.

On the field, the Land Rover Handling title went to Lee

Simpson and Julie Norman, of Kent Estuary, while Colin Smithson and Claire Sproat, of Pennine YFC, took the honours in Tractor Handling.

In an industries section full of high-quality entries, Furness YFC won the flower-arranging trophy and Crook claimed the Westmorland Agricultural Society cookery trophy.

In the end the Cock o' the North Trophy for most point in the Field Day went to Kent Estuary YFC. Pennine were second, Crook third and Broughton fourth.

The event was rounded off with a party in a barn for the hundreds of YFC members.

May 29, 2003 15:00