GIRL power was the order of the day with three Ryedale young farmers taking top prizes in an 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 about 1,500 people keen to find out more about farming and the environment.

Title of overall winning junior went to Kirkbymoorside YFC member Evie Harrison-Bradley, with Rillington’s Rebecca Richardson scooping overall winning senior. Kirkbymoorside’s Emma Cockerill was also among the prizewinners.

The competition is the traditional launch of the young farmers’ countdown to the Great Yorkshire Show, which this year takes place between July 11 and 13. Overall winning club went to Farnley Estate, which is based near Otley.

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.

Edward 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 13, of the show will be chaired by new national president of the organisation 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.