Northern Ireland’s Conor Phair wins the Junior Class

The highlight event in the Society’s brilliantly successful Youth Programme, the Judging Finals this year attracted the strongest competition, with young breeders and farmers from around the UK gathering to cast their expert eye over world class cattle at one of Britain’s most noted Charolais centres of excellence, the Seawall Herd near Towcester in Northamptonshire.

The Charolais Youth Programme is an industry-leading initiative open to anyone aged from 8 to 28, and the Annual Stock Judging Event is the centrepiece of the programme, showcasing the skills of tomorrow’s Charolais breeders in judging the best of the breed.

Winning the Junior Class was Conor Phair from Northern Ireland, the first-place prize in the Intermediate Class was scooped by Scotland’s Gregor Milne with the Scottish Borders representative, Kelly Stott, winning the Senior Class. Winning the Pairs competition were Charlotte Hitchen and Tom Brown representing Yorkshire & North East.

This year’s event was the first to be sponsored by Harbro as part of a three-year commitment to support the Charolais Youth Programme, and Harbro experts presented a key seminar on nutrition as part of a busy schedule of demonstrations, seminars, and Q&A sessions that led up to the main business of the day – the judging finals.

The young stock judges were assessed by Master Judges Tracey Nicoll and Iain Millar, the newly appointed President of the British Charolais Cattle Society.

“The standard of competition was incredibly high. Right across the age groups these budding young Charolais experts were very good in their judgements and very keen, and the breed is clearly in safe hands with this younger generation coming through. Both Tracey and I were hugely impressed by their knowledge, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn,” he said.

“The event was such a success in large part thanks to the kindness and hard work of our hosts, Peter and Sheelagh Donger, their family and their team. I would also like to thank my fellow Master Judge, Tracey Nicoll, and our Stewards, Ben Harman, and Allen Drysdale. And special thanks to Jill Hunter and Michael Richardson from our sponsors Harbro, for their brilliant work with the youth competitors on the day.

“But the biggest thanks go to every one of the 42 entrants who stood up on the day and showed their dedication and their commitment to the Charolais breed. It was very hard indeed to separate them, and I congratulate them all equally. I hope and expect we will see many of them again next year, and I wish them the very best in the Youth Programme in the years to come.”

Overall Results

All of the competitors represent a bright future for British Charolais, and winners and runners-up in the four judging classes are as follows:

Junior Class: 8-13 years old

Winner - Conor Phair (Northern Ireland)

Second - Evie Wilcox (Yorkshire & North East)

Third - Thomas Hitchen (Yorkshire & North East)

Intermediate Class: 14-19 years old

Winner - Gregor Milne (Scotland)

Second - Mollie Cochrane (Northern Ireland) & Bradley Trewin (South West)

Third - Molly Bradley (Northern Ireland)

Senior Class: 20-28 years old

Winner - Kelly Stott (Borders)

2nd - Lois Scott (Scotland)

3rd - Tom Brown (Yorkshire & North East)

Pairs

Winner - Charlotte Hitchen (Yorkshire & North East) & Tom Brown (North East)

Second - Kelly Stott (Borders) & Robert Stott (Borders)

Third - Ben McSporran (Scotland) & Edward Scott (Scotland)