2018-12-07 |
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Newton Rigg Students Triumph at Winter Stock Festival
Celebrations were definitely in order for agriculture students from Newton Rigg College who claimed both first and second place at a prestigious national livestock event.
The eight students, who are all studying for diplomas at the Cumbrian-based college, beat 17 other teams to take the honours at the annual East of England College Challenge, which is part of the Winter Stock Festival. Held at Peterborough, the competition attracts entries from colleges across the country.
Winning Ways - agriculture students from Newton Rigg College celebrate after taking the top two awards at national event
It was the Newton Rigg College A Team comprising Anna Woodward, Ellie Stamper, Josh Wilson and Jack Hutchinson which took first place in this highly contested competition. Assessing stock in four different categories, Anna from Derbyshire judged lamb carcasses, Ellie from Whitehaven judged prime pigs, Josh from Lancaster judged beef and Jack, who hails from Barnard Castle, judged lambs. With 15 minutes to make their decisions, each student had to use stock judging cards for placing and their reasons.
Second place was claimed by the college’s Team B - Ellie Wynne from Derbyshire judged heifers, Kate Thompson from Kendal judged lambs, Will Barker from Scarborough judged lamb carcasses and Will Porter from Reeth judged prime pigs.
The rosettes and placards marking the successes were presented by officials from the East of England Agricultural Society. Comment was made about how the students were all keen young farmers with a real interest in stock judging.
Agriculture lecturer Richard
Gardiner, who accompanied the students,
said:
“It’s days like these that make a job I love even more enjoyable.
I could not be prouder of them. They coped with the pressure of
a major event and are a credit to themselves and the College.”
Newton Rigg is part of Askham Bryan College and specialises in a wide range of full and part time further education courses – from horticulture to hair dressing, and from agriculture to animal management. It also has a strong cohort of young people studying on apprenticeship courses.
