Collone YFC club secretary Linzi Kennedy looks back at her visits Slovenia as part of the YFCU's European Rally Team
From the 17th-27th of July Collone YFC club secretary Linzi Kennedy headed to Slovenia as part of the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster’s European Rally Team Linzi had a fabulous time and would highly recommend others in the club to take up all the travel opportunities that the YFCU offer.
During her time there Linzi attended many workshops and session in relation to advocacy, policy making and rural youth participation.
Day 1: Linzi met Team NI (Richard, Dylan, Katie, Emily) at Dublin Airport. After a five hour layover in Zurich where they explored the city, they flew on to Ljubljana, then proceeded to scenic Lake Bled – enjoying dinner and sampling the traditional Bled Cake.
Day 2: The team bonded over a day at Lake Bled. They started with a traditional Slovenian breakfast, visited Bled Castle, picnicked by the lake, and rowed out to the island. In the evening, they stayed in Ljubljana and dined at Oaprta Kuhna with the English team – Linzi tried langoš, her first Slovenian meal.
Day 3 After some morning sightseeing in Ljubljana, the NI team travelled to Novo Mesto, the rally’s venue. Linzi met her roommates – Gillian from Scotland and Eveline from Switzerland - and took part in icebreakers with participants from 18 countries.
Day 4: The rally officially began with the opening ceremony under this year’s theme, Planting Ideas, Cultivating The Future. Sessions covered youth participation, policy, and advocacy. Linzi joined her buddy group (Rosie, Denis, Alise, Eva, Riina) and capped the day with an international buffet.
Day 5: This day was filled with energisers, group work and discussions, the day helped Linzi meet many more Europeans. In the evening, her buddy group competed in the farming games and participated in a quiz, concluding with more social time.
Day 6: Was another full day of sessions and team bonding. In the afternoon, Linzi toured the GRM agricultural college, learning about self-sufficient farming. That evening, Team NI performed in the talent show, followed by karaoke and general festivities.
Day 7: The rally team split into excursion groups. Linzi joined one touring the Dolenjska region, visiting an apple farm run by a former ZSPM president; she sampled produce and explored the Nature 2000 centre. Later they visited the House of the Carniolan honey bee, then ended the day at her host Martin’s farmhouse, enjoying traditional food with his family.
Day 8: Host day with the Žbogar family: Linzi toured their farm, saw a waterfall, and visited mountain pastures where she experienced off-grid alpine life, cheese-making, and a First World War bunker. The evening was back at GRM was for catching up and fun.
Day 9: After the final sessions and a treasure hunt with her buddy group, Linzi attended the closing ceremony and celebrated with a big end-of-rally party.
Day 10: In the morning, farewells were said. Later Linzi explored Ljubljana with Team NI, enjoying a beer tour before packing for her journey home to Northern Ireland.
Day 11: On the return, Linzi had another meal and sightseeing stop in Switzerland before finally arriving home in Northern Ireland.