The YDP final is fast approaching, taking place next weekend, and the excitement is building! We’ve got a selection of profiles of all the judges for the different aspects of the final, which give some good insight into who each judge is and what they do. We’re delighted to share the first few of those with you just now before sharing the remaining profiles next week.

John McEnroe – Showmanship Judge

John is owner of the famous Liss herd in Co Meath, Republic of Ireland which has been in existence since the early 1950’s. The herd is currently running 100 cows, 95 of which are pedigree and the aim is to supply easy calving bulls to the dairy market and suckler market and a few bulls every year going on for pedigree use. John and his family enjoy showing cattle as it advertises the type they want to produce and have had much success over the years. They regularly take over ten cattle out to local shows to show the type of cattle they produce. John is Chairman of the Oldcastle Agricultural Show and regularly runs workshops to help local youngsters get into showing.

Marie Louise Ryan – Stock judging judge

Marie Louise is a farm animal veterinary surgeon based in Cavan, Ireland, with a special interest in bull & ram fertility and bovine surgery.

Marie Louise is no stranger to the show ring! She hails from the Ryan family’s Goldstar Charolais herd. She is a keen stock person, winning the All Ireland young stock person competition at just 13 years of age. Her background in pedigree cattle is long established, the Ryan family are most noted for their Charolais, with outstanding success both in Ireland and the UK, most notably Goldstar Hugo winning the junior interbreed champion at the Highland show. Goldstar also have had great success with Belgian Blues and fatstock cattle in the past. She also worked for Roundhill Limousins for 9 years which led her to taking part & winning the Irish Limousin YMA on three successive occasions, going on to represent Ireland in the Anglo – Irish Limousin competition each time.

Since 2009, Marie Louise has been involved with the Aberdeen-Angus YDP , as both a trainer and an assessor. Also a keen sports woman with rugby being her other love, in the past she has been capped for the Munster ladies team!

We can’t wait for the final to give our budding youngsters the platform to show their skills on, and we look forward to bringing the remaining judge profiles to you in the coming week.