Young stock people gearing up for FBD Insurance championships at Tullow Show

Adam Woods has the latest on this year’s Irish Farmers Journal/FBD Insurance/ Irish Shows Association All-Ireland Young Stockperson competition finals, which take place at Tullow Show.

Adam Woods

31 July 2024

Young stock people gearing up for FBD Insurance championships at Tullow Show

The FBD Insurance All-Ireland Young Stockperson Finals 2023: Sean Sherman (judge), Jack Kennedy (editor, Irish Farmers Journal), Nigel Wood (Co Mayo, first place, intermediate stockperson), Jim Harrison (national secretary, Irish Shows Association). \ Shanon Kinahan

There are only two weeks to go until Ireland’s most talented stock people will take to the show ring at Tullow Show to take part in Ireland’s most coveted young stock person title. The all-Ireland championships are in their fourth year of existence, having kicked off in Tullamore in 2021, with the finals taking place in Trim in 2022 and Cappamore Show in 2023.

There are only two weeks to go until Ireland’s most talented stock people will take to the show ring at Tullow Show to take part in Ireland’s most coveted young stock person title.

The all-Ireland championships are in their fourth year of existence, having kicked off in Tullamore in 2021, with the finals taking place in Trim in 2022 and Cappamore Show in 2023.

Nine all-Ireland champions have been crowned and all eyes will be on Tullow Show to see who will be the 10th, 11th and 12th national champions. This year’s finals take place at Tullow Show, Co Carlow, on Sunday 18 August.

Categories

The competition is broken up into three age categories for eight- to 12-year-olds, 13- to 17-year-olds and 18- to 25-year-olds.

All three classes will be judged on the participant’s ability to handle and present the animal to its best advantage, general knowledge of the animal, stock judging and personal presentation.

A total of 10 qualified participants in each section will then go forward to the final, with a total of 30 attending the overall finals in Tullow Show on Sunday 18 August.

Here, a more intense judging process will take place, but participants will also be judged on the initial qualifying criteria.

Prizes

Champion handler in the junior division will walk away with a cheque for €500, while second and third receive €300 and €150 respectively.

Intermediate champion handler will receive €750, with €500 for second place and €200 for third.

Finally, the champion senior handler will secure a prize of €1,000, with €500 for second and €200 for third. All participants who qualify for the finals who are not in the top three will receive €50, along with a rosette

Age on 1 August will determine the class each competitor enters in, with junior and intermediate classes asked to exhibit a beef-sired calf born from 1 September 2023 to 30 April 2024. Senior entries can exhibit any beef animal born after 1 January 2023.

There are only a small number of shows where potential 2024 finalists can qualify, with one of the last shows to qualify being the FBD Insurance National Livestock Show in Tullamore on Sunday 11 August.