National Competitions Weekends

Jul 5, 2025  •  General

Cumbria Young Farmers travelled from all corners of the county to Staffordshire County Showground on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th July 2025 to compete at the National Competitions Weekend.  Cumbrian Young Farmers competed in Junior Public Speaking, Junior Member of the Year, Junior Reading, Brainstrust, Situations Vacant (aged 22-28), Situations Vacant (aged 16-21), After Dinner Speaking, Fencing, Auctioneering, Clay Pigeon Shooting (17 and under and 28 and under, Ballroom Dancing, Cheerleading, Rounders and Netball.

Saturday saw Cumbria’s young farmers take part in a whole host of speaking competitions, with Greysouthen YFC’s Jess Walker thrilled to take 1st place in the Situations’ Vacant (16 – 21) competition for Cumbria B against some very accomplished competition. Chloe Dawson from Kent Estuary YFC also competed to a very high standard placing 2nd for Cumbria C in the 22 – 28 competition.

A mixed club entry saw Raughton Head YFC members Kate Rowland, Josie Mitchinson and Robbie Tuer and Kent Estuary YFC’s Ben Handley and Rosie Parsons take 3rd place for Cumbria B in the After Dinner Speaking competition. Robbie Tuer was awarded 1st place for being the Best Speaker in the competition. The Crook YFC Brainstrust team of William Black, Maisie, Jack Strickland and Callum Smith for Cumbria A faced stiff competition and were placed 6th overall.

Showing great enthusiasm and promise in the Junior competitions was Molly from Furness YFC, who was delighted to take 2nd place in the Junior Member of the Year competition for Cumbria C. Another mixed team took part in the Junior Reading competition with Amelia and Katie from Kent Estuary YFC and Molly from Furness YFC taking 4th place for Cumbria A. Emily, Oliver and Olivia all from Raughton Head YFC were placed 5th for Cumbria B in the Junior Public Speaking competition.

The Greysouthen YFC Cheerleading team gave an incredible performance and secured a well-deserved 1st place for Cumbria B. The Raughton Head YFC Cheer Leaders also added to the point score, placing 6th for the Cumbria A team. The Southern District Ballroom Dancing team, consisting of young farmers from Crook, Eden Valley, Furness, Grayrigg, Kent Estuary and Sedbergh YFCs were also thrilled to be placed 3rd after many weeks of practice for Cumbria A.

The Fence Erecting competition saw the Cumbria A team of Kent Estuary YFC’s James Warmsley, Sedbergh YFC’s Jack Alderson and Jack Fisher of Furness YFC placed a very well-deserved 2nd place overall. Competing in the Auctioneering competition, Luke Hodgson from Lowick YFC was placed 7th for Cumbria A.    

The Clay Pigeon Shooting competition was held at Oakedge Shooting Ground, Staffordshire with Luke Robinson from Kent Estuary YFC placed 3rd for Cumbria A in the 28 and under competition and Will from Kent Estuary YFC for Cumbria A and Theo from Caldbeck YFC for Cumbria B placed 4th and 21st respectively in the 17 and under competition. 

Cumbria rounded the weekend off with some great sporting successes with Cumbria A’s Raughton Head YFC team taking 1st place in the rounders competition and a combined team of young farmers from Crook, Greysouthen and Sedbergh YFCs also securing 1st place for Cumbria B in the Netball.