Young Breeders Gathering - 2010

In the first week of April, 30 young members and friends congregated at the Wheyrigg Hall Hotel near Wigton in Cumbria to take part in what is always the premier event of the year, the Young Breeders Gathering.

After a night of games and catching up with the news since they last met, it was down to business with our first visit to the Armstrong family’s Plaskett herd near Maryport.  After a welcome refreshment, we held an informal stock judging practice when everyone young or old had their chance to place them.  Before they began, Master Judge, Willie Templeton gave some tuition on the parts of a cow and what was desirable and what was not.

Then it was on to the Bull Mating Competition when all the young members had to provide sires to mate with the two cows on view and then give their reasons.  It was great to see the numbers taking part each year have grown and how much the quality of reasons had improved.

After a barbecue lunch, kindly provided by the Armstrongs, we had an entertaining afternoon trying our hand at archery.  It proved more difficult than it looked, especially for one of the golden oldies, who shall remain nameless.  After a delicious dinner at Wheyrigg, the Armstrong family held a quiz night which proved sometimes exasperating but great fun and it was no surprise when the team containing Chris Weaver, our President were declared the winners.  Makes you wonder he accumulated all that knowledge.

Next morning it was a slightly wearier group who boarded the bus for our visit to Thackthwaite Hall where the Sanderson’s hosting our showmanship and clipping competitions.  They had put in a great deal of hard work and had halter trained 18 calves for us to use.  After three classes of showmanship expertly judged by Willie Templeton, we adjourned for lunch, again kindly provided by the Sanderson family.  Then it was time for clipping.  A record number took part and it was gratifying to see how far many of the younger ones had come since last year with all of them achieving a standard that would be acceptable anywhere.  Congratulations.

While the older ones were clipping, Colin Davidson held a master class with some of the younger members and what a competent job he did.  He has a special talent when teaching youngsters and it shows in the quality of work achieved by al the young members.  Thanks Colin.

The last evening is always special, with our hosts coming to join us for dinner and then showing us their prowness on the dance floor.  I never knew that Christine Sanderson has such talent and it was a happy bunch who headed for bed.

Next morning we headed across the county to our last visit at Middle Farm, home of the Whiteford family where the young members were to judge two classes of cows and give reasons.  Judge for the day was Russell Gray from Langside, and we thank him for giving us the benefit of his experience.  The cows were shown full of milk and were of the quality that set a hard task for the members.  It was nice to see that we had been joined by some of our more senior breeders there to watch the proceedings.  After another scrumptious lunch provided by Anne and her helpers, the gathering concluded with the prize giving.

On behalf of all the young members I would like to thank the Cumbrian club for all their hard work on our behalf and also to our judge and tutor Willie Templeton for giving three days of his time and expertise which I am sure we will see a big benefit from it.  Roll on Northern Ireland.