Young farmers kickstarted their countdown to the Great Yorkshire Show with their annual Stockjudging Competition.

The Great Yorkshire Show Stock Judging 2017 was held at Bishop Burton College, coinciding with its Open Farm Sunday event which was attended by around 1,500 people keen to find out more about farming and the environment.

Title of overall winning club went to Farnley Estate, with overall winning junior going to Kirkbymoorside YFC member Evie Harrison-Bradley and overall winning senior to Rebecca Richardson, of Rillington YFC.

The award for senior pigs went to Edward Kealey (Howden), with senior sheep going to Rebecca Richardson (Rillington). Luby Grayshon, of Farnley Estate, scooped both senior dairy and senior beef.

Junior pigs were won by Evie Harrison-Bradley (Kirkbymoorside), with top honours in junior sheep going to Emma Cockerill (Kirkbymoorside). Farnley Estate’s Holly Roberts took junior dairy, with Kirkbymoorside’s Emma Cockerill winning junior beef.

Ed Bentley, of the YFC committee that organises the stand at the Great Yorkshire, said members were very grateful to the principal of Bishop Burton, Jeanette Dawson, for enabling the young farmers to be part of such an important day in the college’s calendar.

“Having the day on Open Farm Sunday gives this stock judging competition a real atmosphere and is a tremendous experience for all those who take part,” he said.

Young farmers have a long association with the Great Yorkshire Show, having a stand at the Harrogate showground for as long as anybody can remember. This long association will be marked this year with a display of old photographs of young farmers through the ages. The debate traditionally held on the last day, Thursday July 13th, of the show will be chaired by new NFYFC President Charlotte Smith, who is better known to many as presenter of Countryfile and BBC radio’s Farming Today.

For updates on what’s happening follow YFC@GYS on Facebook.