Beef up your knowledge with TY competition
APPLICATIONS are now open for the 2018 Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition, the final judging of which will take place at Croke Park next March.
The competition is open to all transition year students from throughout Ireland. It is not confined only to those from a farming background.
Each group (2-5 members) must submit a three-minute video on themselves and the role of Agricultural Science within the school. They must also demonstrate an understanding of the three main sponsors of the competition, the Irish Angus Producer Group, ABP and Kepak, as well as outline plans for the promotion of the Certified Irish Angus Beef brand if successful in winning calves.
From the initial entries, 30 shortlisted groups will be invited to attend an event in Croke Park to showcase their entry on March 14th next. From that, five group finalists will each receive five Angus calves to rear up to slaughter at 18 months.
Alongside being charged with five calves to rear, the schools will complete a project focusing on a different aspect of farming and the food chain. The calves are raised in conjunction with a local farmer.
Each group will receive the financial benefit following their slaughter, and the overall winner will receive an additional bursary of €2,000.
Charles Smith, general manager, Irish Angus Producer Group said: “We have been delighted with the success of this competition to date and have been hugely impressed with the quality of the projects and commitment of the students who have taken part over the last number of years.
“It is wonderful to witness how the groups grow and learn about the role of Irish farming and merits of the Certified Irish Angus brand over the 18 months of the competition. We look forward to receiving entries from all over the country over the coming months and to presenting the next batch of successful finalists with their calves at next year’s National Ploughing Championships.”