Skelton YFC
Jul 24, 2023 • General
Weekend of Fun and Games
After the club participated in a successful exchange to Newton Stewart in February, Machars YFC arrived for their return exchange on Friday 21st July. On Friday evening, the club held a Hog Roast for all our club members and gave a very warm welcome to the returning 10 exchange members. The evening started with a friendly rounders match and finished with Tug of War, which as you can imagine, got very competitive! Thank you to the Peile family, for allowing us to hold the Hog Roast and Saturday’s Sheep Racing at Greystoke Castle.
Saturday morning, saw members meet at Castlesteads, Plumpton for a farm walk, by kind permission of the Gibson family. Members were given a tour and talk on their digester system and the 6 milking robots they have installed. Despite the heavy rain, members stayed dry and thoroughly enjoyed the informative tour and talk. Next stop for everyone was The Sun Inn at Newton Reigny for delicious Steak Pie and Chips, before returning to Greystoke Castle for an afternoon of Sheep Racing.
Despite the weather, the Sheep Racing was well attended by, members from other Northern and Southern District Clubs and the general public. Unfortunately, a few teething issues were experienced with escaping sheep and jockeys after the first race, but this just made the afternoon more entertaining! Alfie and Lewis did a tremendous job in keeping the crowd entertained as Little Bo-Peep and her dog, which sometimes required the assistance of club Chair Ed Watts.
A total of 7 races were held with over 1000 bets made, with half the takings given back as winnings.
The club also had stall on the day, which included a tuck shop and various competitions to take part in, which included “Name the Duck”, which was sponsored by Drainwise was won by Eden Valley member Alysha Barraclough, who correctly guested “Gilly Duck”.
Hot food was available throughout the day from Katy Edgar and Katherines Jerseys were on site for anyone wishing to have a delicious milkshake or ice cream.
From 6pm, members were entertained by the club’s former Secretary Meg Harrison and the Folkin Teachers Band. Throughout the day, the bar was run smoothly by advisory, parents and members.
Skelton YFC are extremely thankful to the Peile Family, Skelton Show, H & E Trotter, Pengen Ltd, O’Malley Plant Hire, Dodd & Co Accountants, H&G Borderway Mart, Hopes Auction, Drainwise Civils Ltd and Eden Farm Supplies as without their permission, support and sponsorship the Sheep Racing would not have been at all possible.
Sunday morning saw (extremely tired) members conduct another farm tour. The second farm tour of the weekend was by kind permission of the Atkinson Family of Scrathmere Scar, Plumpton. 3 further Machars YFC members came to join us. Everyone was loaded into trailers and taken around all the different steadings. As you can imagine, everyone was soaked to the bones with the torrential weather Cumbria experience on Sunday, but in true YFC fashion spirits were high with members singing their own renditions of YMCA and 500 miles!
Wet to their bones, members then made the short journey to The Globe at Calthwaite for a very much needed Sunday Roast, where the beef scored 11/10! The majority of our Scottish friends then return home, apart from a kind handful, who kindly returned to Greystoke Castle to assist in the Sheep Racing clean up.
All in all an enjoyable weekend was had by one and all.
