This year's Young Farmer Clubs from six counties of the south west fought a hotly contested South West Area Competitions Day this year.

On Sunday, June 9 Dorset, Somerset, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Devon all went head to head to compete at the South West Area Competitions Day which was hosted by Dorset YFC this year and was held at Kingston Maurward College.

The competitions included in the event were designed to test the full variety of skills that membership of Young Farmers aspires to develop in young people. They were also chosen to include the wide age range (10-26 years) that Young Farmers encompasses.

The event was for all young farmers in the south west to compete in numerous competitions to go forward to the Nationals Competitions Days on July 6 and 7 at Staffordshire County Showground.

All six counties in the South West put forward their best teams and individuals to compete in the 11 competitions and each county had something to cheer about at the end of it.

Mrs Beatrice Dyer, the South West Area President, said: “The event was a great success and it was wonderful to see the enthusiasm of the young farmers at such a great venue.”

The morning’s competitions varied and showed many skills from Farm Safety and Fence Erecting in teams to individual work like Stock Judging and Auctioneering.

The sports for the morning was Mixed Rounders and Mixed Touch Rugby which was well attended and played by the juniors.

Later in the afternoon the Ladies, Juniors and Men’s Tug of War was staged.

Tracy Hounsome, Dorset YFC's county organiser said: “The one thing that Marshwood Vale Ladies and Men’s Team wanted to achieve this year was to get to the National finals to represent Dorset and this is something they have worked hard to achieve, so well to both teams who achieved this."

They go on to the Tenbury Show on August 3 with Devon YFC Men’s team.

The Ladies Tug of War was won by Somerset who go through with Dorset YFC to represent the South West Area.

Junior Tug of War teams that will also go forward are Devon and Somerset YFC.

The stockjudging was held both at Kingston Maurward College and at Hoskins Farm in Dorchester by kind permission of Mr John Hoskins.

Both farming and non-farming young people alike can do equally well at this competition. All the counties provide training from specialists in Pigs, Sheep, Dairy and Beef Cattle. As long as the young people listen to how to describe the various attributes of each of the animals presented to them then it is down to their confidence and skills in public speaking when presenting their reasons that will see them win through. The finals for this competition are held at Cannock on the August 31 and September 1. The south west will be represented by members from Devon YFC, Wiltshire YFC and Somerset YFC within the Junior or Senior Sections.

The overall winners for the day was awarded to Somerset YFC with Devon YFC coming second, third was Dorset YFC, fourth was Cornwall YFC, fifth was Wiltshire and sixth was Gloucestershire YFC.