FOUR teenagers from a North Belfast school are competing against thirty-eight other school teams for the chance to win Angus calves to rear as young farmers.
None of the Blessed Trinity College pupils come from farming backgrounds but they were inspired to enter the competition, known as the ABP Angus Youth Challenge, when they visited the Balmoral Show earlier this year.
ABP is a major employer in the agrifood sector and along with the Certified Irish Angus Group have been running the competition since 2017. The Blessed Trinity pupils had to present their ideas on key issues affecting agriculture, food production and land use to a panel of industry and education representatives at an exhibition event held at the Eikon Centre last week.
If they get through to the final stage they will be awarded their own mini herd of Angus cross calves to rear with the support of a CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise) mentor. Over the course of next year, the finalist teams will also receive communication and interview training, complete a research project, study trip, and sell their finished cattle to ABP, retaining the proceeds for themselves. The overall winning school or club will receive a £1,000 cash prize at the end of the programme.
Speaking at the exhibition event, George Mullan, Managing Director of ABP in Northern Ireland said: “The standard of entries was outstanding, showing the curiosity and talent that exists among our young people. It’s encouraging to see such passion for the future of the agrifood industry which is central to Northern’s private sector economy.”
