Ballyclare Secondary team in running for place in ABP Final

Ballyclare Secondary School pupils Lydia McKeister, Tammy McCammond, Hannah McCartney and Amy-Lee Hanvey and their teacher Miss Sharon Trimble, chat with Charles Smith from the Angus Producers Group at the ABP Angus Youth Challenge held at CAFRE Loughry Campus.

Nutritional selling points of beef; the importance of grass-based beef production and the promotion of a Northern Irish Angus beef brand were just some of the ways the competitors in the ABP Youth Challenge set about impressing the independent panel of judges at the semi-final event held recently in CAFRE Loughry College, Cookstown.

Ballyclare Secondary girls were one of the 11 semi-finalist teams and travelled to Loughry to present their ideas for a place in the final and the chance to win Aberdeen Angus calves to rear through to finishing.

Their project focused on women in agriculture, with two of the team dressed up as 1950s lady farmers with aprons signifying their role in the farm house and two modern farmers with capes to show the evolution of the roles women can now play in the industry managing and running farms.

Managing Director of ABP in Northern Ireland, George Mullan said: “The ABP Angus Youth Challenge is about investing for the future of farming and food production in Northern Ireland through skills development of our young people. If the talent on display is any indicator of future success, then we have a lot to be positive about.”

The ABP Angus Youth Challenge is organised in partnership with the Northern Irish Angus Producers Group. Judging the semi-finalists were industry experts from leading organisations across the farming and agri-food sectors.

Three finalist teams will be announced after Easter and presented with five Aberdeen Angus cross calves at a high-profile public event during the 150th Balmoral Show in May. They will go on to rear their calves through to sale to ABP over an 18-month skills development programme covering insights into beef production from farm to fork.

In addition, they will benefit financially from the profit at sale of the calves to ABP. One overall winning team will also win £1,000 cash prize for their school or club.