We're open for new entries from 14-15 yr olds

If you are a 14-15 year old in Yr 11 living in Northern Ireland then this is your chance to take part in the new version of the ABP Angus Youth Challenge. The format has been updated for ease of supervision by teachers and ease of participation alongside GCSE studies. The competition still offers the chance to win great prizes – including a mini-herd of Angus cross calves to rear worth c.£3,500 and a three-day study tour with ABP. But it will complete within a shorter timeframe and events will take place outside term-time.

“In view of the disruption that schools have faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have worked with educators to streamline the competition. It is aligned more closely to learning outcomes of a range of GCSE subjects to support attainment. It continues to offer teenagers a unique work experience of beef production from farm to fork and complements their studies in a ‘learning-by-doing’ way,”

explained Charles Smith of the Northern Irish Angus Producer Group who co-ordinates the competition on behalf of ABP.

Our main events, such as the exhibition and training will take place during mid-term breaks.”

The teams that reach the final stage of the Challenge will be assigned a Mentor from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise to support their work on research assignments.

“It is our hope that the complimentary study tour with ABP and the professional media training in communication and presentation skills can take place face-to-face in 2022. An overall winning team will win £1,000 for their club or school. The programme will complete within one year leaving the winners free to concentrate on their Year 12 examinations.”

Entry to the ABP Angus Youth Challenge is by way of a short video submission followed by an online interview. A selection of entrants will be invited to take part in an exhibition- style event during the 2021 Halloween break. An independent panel will judge the teams and their displays to determine which go through to the finalist programme and win the prizes.

Commenting on ABP’s commitment to this initiative, the Managing Director of ABP in Northern Ireland, George Mullan said,

“The ABP Angus Youth Challenge connects with young people at an important stage of their education. We want to inspire them to work in our sector. We have seen how young people benefit from this experience and we invite more to access the opportunity it presents.”

 Castle Tower School Ballymena; Cross and Passion College Ballycastle; Ballymena Academy; Magherafelt High School and Omagh Academy will complete the finalist programme at the end of this year. Meanwhile Dalriada School Ballymoney; Cookstown High School; Friends’ School Lisburn and St Kevin’s College Lisnaskea started the finalist programme in June 2021.

The ABP Angus Youth Challenge is open to teams of 2-4 individuals from schools, clubs, societies or a group of friends. Entrants do not have to live on a farm or be part of a farming family to take part. ABP will assist finalists in the provision of a suitable farm.

Closing date for receipt of entries is noon, 4th October 2021.

 For competition queries contact Gillian Allen at ABP gillian.allen@abpbeef.com or the Northern Ireland Angus Producer Group at info@angusproducergroup.com

The class of 2019 who completed the ABP Angus Youth Challenge earlier this year.

Finalists Big Day at Balmoral 2019

Four teams from local post-primary schools were presented with their own calves to rear by the agri-food business ABP. They are all FINALISTS in the ABP Angus Youth Challenge, a skills development competition for young people interested in working in the agri-food sector.

The teams consist of pupils ranging from 14-16 years old representing two Co. Tyrone schools, Aughnacloy College and Fivemiletown College; along with Belfast Royal Academical Institution and Wallace High School Lisburn.

Each team was presented with five calves by Managing Director of ABP in Northern Ireland, George Mullan, at a public prize-giving ceremony compered by the TV Presenter Paul Clark at the 151st Balmoral Show.

The finalists will now embark on a farm-to-fork skills development programme with ABP. This will entail each team rearing their five Aberdeen Angus cross calves through to beef and selling them to ABP. The net profit after sale will be shared amongst their group. Each team has also been assigned a special project to develop over the next 18 months. Their projects will challenge them to explore innovative and forward-looking techniques and proposals for the future benefit of meat production in Northern Ireland.

The team of boys and girls from Aughnacloy College will be looking an enhancing animal health naturally; alternative feeds and the reduction of treatments during rearing.

Belfast Royal Academical Institution’s project will leverage their city centre location to connect consumers with food provenance and agriculture. The boys will also be promoting the benefits of beef as part of the school’s sports nutrition programme.

Fivemiletown College as a co-educational rural school will be focusing on family farming and building resilience within rural communities as well as promoting support for locally produced food.

Wallace High School female duo who will be looking at ways of promoting diversity in the sector by highlighting the role and advantages of women in agriculture from farm to fork.

The teams’ performances across all aspects of the final stage will be continually assessed. One overall winning team will receive £1,000 cash prize for their school.

The four finalist teams were selected on the basis of entry by video and panel interview which was then followed by a semi-final exhibition judged by an independent panel of industry experts. Last year’s finalists Belfast Royal Academy, Enniskillen Royal Grammar; Rainey Endowed Magherafelt and St Louis Grammar, Ballymena are due to complete their final stage at the end of 2019. The ABP Angus Youth Challenge is organised in partnership with the Northern Irish Angus Producers Group.              

Balmoral

Prize Giving Day