The young sheep farmer skills competition held at Sheep 2018 Farm to Fork was a tense affair, with a strong field of 13 competitors from agricultural colleges locking horns. Donegal-man Dwayne Shiels from Letterkenny claimed the top accolade and prizemoney of €250 sponsored by Irish Country Meats.

Rachel Campbell from Co Meath finished second and claimed €150 in prizemoney. Rachel was representing Gurteen Agricultural College and also claimed the award for drafting sheep and €100 sponsored by sheep equipment manufacturer Stanley Engineering Services who are based in Errill, Co Laois. The third prize in the young farmer skills competition of €100 also headed to Donegal, going to James Mullin from Malin Head.

There were four winners of the sustainability challenge co-ordinated by Teagasc Kildalton and sponsored by the Irish Farmers Association. Each winner received a prize of €100, with winners as follows: Noel Burns, Kileshandra, Co Cavan; Gavin O’Sullivan, Beara, Co Cork; Sean Mannion, Tuam, Co Galway and Stephen O’Sullivan, Glengarriff, Co Cork.