Southern District Field Day
May 26, 2025 • General
Southern District young farmers and their supporters gathered to enjoy a fantastic day of fun and competitions on Saturday 24th May at their annual Field Day, organised by Grayrigg YFC and held at Poppy Farm, Selside by kind permission of the Thompson family. It was a day of friendly rivalry and a chance for young farmers past and present to catch up and enjoy the a day of friendly rivalry.
With a whole host of competitions to take part in on the day there was something for everyone with a great deal of skill and creativity on show throughout. Harvey’s miniature ranch took a well deserved 1st place for Sedbergh YFC and Martha Galbraith’s drawing for the fells and farms competition took not only first place for Grayrigg YFC, but also secured best Field Day exhibit. Grayrigg YFC continued their winning streak taking 1st place with their incredible Cube Exhibit and Matthew Williamson showed exceptional creativity with his Open Metalwork Weathervane placed 1st for Eden Valley YFC.
As always, the cookery and baking competitions gave the young farmers the opportunity to showcase their skills with Isabel Wilson from Lowick YFC taking a well- deserved 1st place in the Haytime Picnic and Pennine YFC placed 1st in the NFYFC cookery competition with their celebration dinner.
Displays in the floral art competitions were spectacular with Ellenor from Furness YFC taking 1st place in the junior competition with her British Isles inspired design. Edward Wilson of Sedbergh YFC was placed 1st in Inter Floral Art for his display centred on European Cities and Sophie Waller also from Sedbergh YFC took 1st with her floral display titled “Down Under”.
The traditional farming competitions proved a popular draw, with Joseph Moorhouse and Hannah Dodgson taking 1st in the Vintage Tractor Handling. Grayrigg YFC’s Bradley Thompson showed a great deal of skill in the Open Auctioneering competition again taking a very well-deserved 1st place for Grayrigg YFC and Eden Valley YFC’s Hector Meanwell placed 1st in the Hand Shearing competition for Eden Valley YFC. John Handley and Zac Baines placed 1st in the walling for Grayrigg YFC and Zac Baines also took 1st for Grayrigg YFC in the Lakeland Dialect.
Field Day Chair, Emily Armer commented “Once again the talent in young farmers has shone through right through from the juniors to seniors. We had 2 successful carcass judging evenings, a clipping and stock judging evening and our pre-field day and these wouldn’t have been possible without the support of local farmers and members, thanks must go to the wonderful hosts of these competitions, The Denney, Ladds and Moorhouse families. Thank you to our field day committee; Richard Ladds, Joseph Moorhouse, Martha Galbraith, Ellie Burrow, John Handley, Hannah Dodgson, Lucy Gibson and special thank you to Field Day Secretary, Katie Waine. Thanks also to Chief Steward Kerry Stevens and to Chief Industrial Steward Lauren Dixon and all of the judges and stewards. Thank you to Stephen Rowlinson and his scorers and Jared Armitstead and Alistair Thompson for ensuring the field competitions went to plan and also to Health and Safety Officer Stephen Proctor who has given up his time over the past weeks to ensure the Field Day could go ahead safely. Thank you to our generous sponsors GSC Grays, North West Auctions, Myerscough College, Yan Farm Health, Ellis Quads, Mitchells Livestock Auction, the Field Day would not have been possible without them. Thank you also to the county office team, WCAS for all the equipment loans, Jenny Wood for the photographs, our Grayrigg Show car parking team and Robbie Hutchinson, to the vendors who have joined us today and the local support from businesses who have been kind enough to lend us supplies for competitions. The biggest thank you of all must go to the Thompson family who have hosted our field day, what an excellent venue it has been, John and Hazel have been great YFC supporters and their dedication to the federation really shows. On behalf of the Southern District THANK YOU!!!”
At the end of an exciting and hard-fought Field Day, host club Grayrigg YFC were delighted to be placed first, a fantastic result for all the members who had worked so hard to put on an amazing Field Day. The win was even more special for Grayrigg YFC and their supporters as it seemed a fitting tribute to the late Mrs Dorrie Galbraith, Southern District Honorary Life Vice President, Grayrigg YFC stalwart and long standing Field Day Chief Industrial Steward. Tribute was paid throughout the day to Dorrie, with a special exhibit and thanks given by Emily in her speech.
The overall results were as follows:
1st – Grayrigg (10040), 2nd – Sedbergh (9243), 3rd – Kent Estuary (9231), 4th – Crook (8656), 5th – Broughton (8431), 6th – Eden Valley (8424), 7th – Lowick (8382), 8th – Furness (7829), 9th – Pennine (5959), 10th – Cartmel (5306)
Trophies were awarded as follows:
Cock of the North Shield - Overall Winners: Grayrigg YFC
W. Proctor Shield – Pre-Field Day: Grayrigg YFC
NFU Trophy – Industrial Section: Grayrigg YFC
Marsden Building Society Trophy – Fun Competitions: Grayrigg YFC
Haesler Trophy – Co-operatives: Grayrigg YFC
George Whitfield Trophy – Junior Stock judging: Furness YFC
Farming in the North – Girls Stock judging: Eden Valley YFC
Paul’s Agricultural Perpetual Trophy – Dairy Stock judging: Lowick YFC
Flower Arranging Dish – Flower Arranging: Furness YFC
William Dargue Rose bowl – Best Overall Cookery: Grayrigg YFC
Westmorland County Agricultural Society Rose Bowl – National Cookery: Pennine YFC
Rusland Stock judging Shield – Stock judging: Grayrigg YFC
Mrs Galbraith Cup – Display: Grayrigg YFC
The Galbraith Owl - Boy’s Cookery: Grayrigg YFC
Mr & Mrs Armitage Plate - Sheep Shearing: Sedbergh YFC
Lakeland Dialect Society Trophy: Grayrigg YFC
John Taylor Cup - Stock & Carcase Judging: Grayrigg YFC
Lakes Rally Shield – Junior Competitions: Grayrigg YFC
Barclays Bank Shield - Skill & Craft Comps: Grayrigg YFC
Eden Farm Supplies Trophy – Machinery Handling: Grayrigg YFC
Danielle Dixon Memorial Trophy -Best Overall Flower Arranging: Ellenor, Furness YFC
Nat West Treasurers Cup – Best Club Treasurer: Kent Estuary YFC
Junior Craft Plate – Junior Craft: Lowick YFC
John Dickinson Trophy – Most Improved Club Placing: Sedbergh YFC
The Cheese Company Trophy - Club Showing the Greatest Improvement: Sedbergh YFC
Cookson Postlethwaite Memorial Trophy – Photography: Jenny Wood, Eden Valley YFC
Andrew George Denney Memorial Trophy – Junior Stock judging: Crook YFC
NFU TOW Trophy – Most Points Across all Classes: Grayrigg YFC
The Best Pre-Field Day Exhibit: Martha Galbraith (drawing), Grayrigg YFC
The North West Auction Trophy: Bradley Thompson, Grayrigg YFC
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.
Winners of the Northern Area Field Day competitions now go forward to compete at the Northern Area Field Day, hosted by Cumbria YFC on Saturday 14th June at Low Beckside Farm, Mungrisdale by kind permission of the Ernest Cook Trust.
