To encourage youth involvement in Hereford cattle showing the Society is running a competition for young people, aged 17-20 this year.
Contestants must be under 20 and over 17 on the 1st of January 2011 and be a family member (son, daughter, grandson, grandaughter etc.) of a current member of the Irish Hereford Society to be eligible to compete.
There will be 6 regional winners:
Cavan/Monaghan: Virginia Show Sat July 30th
Connaught: Strokestown Show Sat Sep 10th
North Leinster; Longford Show Sat July 23rd
South Leinster; Iverk (Piltown) Show Sat Aug 27th
Munster: ?
West Cork: ?
Participating shows are selected by the local branches/clubs. Winners go forward to a final, to be held at the National Ploughing Championships in Athy in September 2011. If a regional winner is unavailable to participate at the final in Athy the region will be represented by the second placed young handler from that region.
The prize for the winner will be a trip to the World Hereford Conference in Canada in July 2012 as the Irish Junior Representative where he or she will be involved in showmanship events.
Contestants should be from the region in which the show is held. Animals exhibited should not be older than 18months. The Society will provide rosettes to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in each region.
Younger Juniors aged 12-17 will be catered for at the National Hereford Show at Tullamore as last year. Winner will be awarded a replica of the William J Twomey Cup plus a special prize. Special prizes will be also be awarded to the 2nd and 3rd placing.
These competitions will in addition to the Society’s “facebook” and “You Tube” presence should generate more interest and involvement in the breed among the youth. Participation by members and their families to date has been dismal. Given the age profile of members this is not surprising but a greater level of participation was anticipated from the younger generation.