A record number of young competitors are set to attend this year’s English Winter Fair, organisers have said.
The event, which take place at the Staffordshire County Showground on November 18-19, 2023, will feature over a dozen classes specially for school-age competitors, as well as playing host to young farmers’ stock and carcase judging championships, and the final of the Young Shepherd of the Year.
Chief executive at the Staffordshire and Birmingham Agricultural Society (SBAS) – which organises the fair – Richard Williams, said investing in competitions for young people keeps both traditional and commercial livestock skills alive.
“We saw a particularly large entry in the young farmers’ stock judging events last year, which was very rewarding,” he said.
“There are two competitions: A one-day event specially for the English Winter Fair, organised by Staffordshire Young Farmers on behalf of our committee; and a two-day competition organised by the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC).
“Together, they attracted well over 200 entrants throughout England and Wales last year, and we hope there will be even more in 2023.”
Young farmers
“Winners will be presented with the original Smithfield trophies during the NFYFC’s presentation of awards for its competition,” Williams said.
Another competition which holds its final at the English Winter Fair is the Young Shepherd of the Year, which is organised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Last year’s junior champion was 12-year-old Logan Doyle-Tyson, who started his showing career by helping his sister show Hebridean sheep.
“I started learning at home, then doing young handler competitions at shows. Our family are members of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, and it’s good to keep people aware of rare sheep by showing them,” Doyle-Tyson said.
“People like our sheep because they’re black and have horns, and I enjoy it when they come to our pens and ask questions because we’re helping to educate them.
“Lots of people think they’re goats because of their horns and how they look when they’ve just been sheared.”
Schools competition
The event’s special schools competition, introduced in 2017, is also going “from strength to strength”, SBAS said.
Students at the Thomas Alleyne School in Uttoxeter compete each year, honing their animal stockmanship and presentation skills, the society said.
Justine North, the teacher with responsibility for farm activities at the school, says many of those who take part aspire to have careers in positions like vets, farmers, zookeepers or dog groomers.
As only 10-15% of children who get involved are from a farming background, the livestock handling skills they learn are “invaluable in giving them confidence around all sorts of animals”, she said.
“The schools actually has its own farm with an array of sheep, goats, cows and poultry, run by farm manager Rosie Deakin-Gallimore, who is instrumental in preparing the students and animals for the Fair each year,” North said.
“More than 20 students competed last year in a range of classes. We used to enter the stock classes but it’s hard to win against people who are breeding champion animals for a living.
“So we focus on the schools’ class, and compete on handling and showing skills, as well as the sausage-making championship.”
