As a Society we always strive to provide the tools and support to progress the development of young people working in agriculture, and the World Angus Forum 2017 Youth Competition reflects this. Ruth Perry has made the UK and Ireland team and we’ve been speaking to her ahead of the big event in the Summer!
Ruth is from Kent and has been an animal lover from a very young age, and now works as a stockperson on a commercial beef unit. She developed a particular passion for cattle when she attended High Weald Academy as there was a small commercial farm on site, where she learned about basic livestock management, handling techniques, show preparation and movement documents. Aged 16, Ruth took the role of the school’s Young Farmers Club Chairperson and won numerous awards including winning Champion or Reserve Champion at Ashford Fatstock Show for three consecutive years.
Being from a non-farming family, once Ruth left school she rented her own barn and paddock where her passion for cattle flourished. She entered her very own heifer into the South-Eastern Winter Primestock Fayre and Ashford Cattle Show where she won Supreme Champion, an incredible achievement at such a young age.
Completing her Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society Youth Development Programme Certificate in Animal Care & Presentation required Ruth to attend a show with a Society breeder. This introduced Ruth to Alan & Rob Bishop of the Warrenho herd, and resulted in her becoming a valued member of their team for shows and sales. Ruth now works every show season with the Warrenho Herd, helping break the cattle in, clip and wash the show cattle and look after them at the 15 shows and sales they attend each year.
Ruth is very proud of her involvement with Aberdeen-Angus, as she explains:
“Over the past 5 years I have acquired many practical skills and immersed myself in knowledge of the breed. In September 2016 I was overjoyed at winning the Senior section at the Aberdeen-Angus Youth Development Programme Finals and I will use my prize to travel around Aberdeen-Angus Farms in South America for 6 months in 2018!”
Once it was announced that Ruth had made the UK and Ireland team for this year’s Youth Competition, she said:
“I was extremely excited about being selected for the World Angus Forum as it will give me many opportunities to learn and create friendships from around the world. I am honoured to be representing the host country and showing the world what we’ve got to offer the breed. Being part of the team will also give me the opportunity to meet many people from around the world ahead of my travels to South America off the back of my success at the YDP final last year.”
The World Angus Forum 2017 Youth Competition will encompass a 12-day-long series of exciting tasks and challenges, culminating in the prestigious final at Netherton/HW Angus on the final leg of the tour on Sunday 2nd July. More information on the Youth Competition can be found at: http://worldangusforum2017.com/youth-programme.