2024 Simmental Young

Members Weekend

2024 BSCS YOUNG MEMBERS WEEKEND IN NORTHERN IRELAND 26 TH -28 TH JULY

The British Simmental Cattle Society is delighted to announce a BSCS Young Members Weekend in Northern Ireland between 26th – 28th July.

At a glance a packed weekend will include herd visits, a national stock judging competition for teams and individuals, a visit to the NI National Simmental Show within Antrim Show, and plenty of time for socialising at the arranged events and barbecues.

The event is open to all and it is also very much hoped that all BSCS Clubs will get involved with this event to promote it and by encouraging and helping young members within the respective regions to attend. Please see the provisional draft programme here and with some further notes of explanation thereafter:

GENERAL POINTS FOR INFORMATION:

Organisation for the weekend is ongoing but please find here some points of information that we hope are helpful and clear:

OPEN TO ALL:  The weekend, and stock judging competition, is open to all Young Simmental Members who wish to attend.  Respective parents and guardians are also welcome to accompany and attend, and please see notes on general costs below as known at this stage.  An invitation to the weekend and stock judging is also being extended to the Irish Simmental Cattle Society.

STOCK JUDGING COMPETITION & TEAMS FROM THE BSCS REGIONS: As noted, the weekend and stock judging competition is open to all Young Simmental Members who wish to attend either individually or as part of a Regional Team.  We would very much hope that each Regional Club would be able to encourage and put forward at a minimum a Junior and a Senior Team comprising of two young members in each team.  The method of selecting the teams is at the discretion of each Regional Club.

In the competition the Junior Section is for Young Members up to the age of 21, with the Senior Section being for ages 21-30.

COMPETITION CLASSES & PRIZES:  The stock judging competition will follow a typical format with four cattle classes, and one reasons class.  There will be maximum points of 250 (50 points per class) and scored in Young Farmers format.

Prizes will be awarded to:  Individual Junior = 1st, 2nd, 3rd; Individual Senior= 1st, 2nd 3rd; Junior Team= 1st, 2nd, 3rd:  Senior Team = 1st, 2nd, 3rd; Reasons Winner Junior; Reasons Winner Senior; Overall Winner; Reserve Overall Winner; Best Points Under 16 (or Junior); and International Winner.

It’s all about the experience, taking part, and friendships established but there will be some terrific prizes on offer and including plaques/prize cards; cash prizes; and trophies!

FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORT:  We are presently talking to the Nottinghamshire based company Field Farm Tours (FFT) who specialise in, and help with the logistics of booking flights, securing hotels, and organising transport for groups.  The aim is that FFT will be able to help members with enquiries and making bookings for this trip.

FLIGHTS & COSTS:  Further to the above note, Young Members will be required to fly into Belfast International Airport on the Friday morning 26th July, with return flights from 3pm onwards on Sunday afternoon, 28th July.

PLEASE NOTE: We would very much hope that the respective Regional Clubs would be able to support the flight/travel costs of the respective Young Members in the teams that the Club put forward.  As noted, the weekend and competition is open to all and with individual young breeders wishing to attend responsible for their respective travel costs. (Farm Field Tours would again be willing to help individuals).  Any parents and guardians, travelling and attending, would also be responsible for their own travel costs.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION:  The present aim is that attendees will stay in a hotel(s) in Antrim.  The Society will cover the costs of the two nights of accommodation for the Young Members who are part of the teams put forward by the Regional Clubs.  As with above individual young members, and any parents and guardians, attending, will be responsible for their own accommodation costs.

FOOD & HOSPITALITY:  During the weekend a light lunch, and an evening barbecue will be provided at Kilbride Farm with no charge for all attendees.  On Saturday, lunch costs at Antrim Show will be at attendees’ expense. The evening meal on Saturday will be free of charge.  A light lunch and refreshments on Sunday will also be free of charge.

OTHER TRANSPORT:  During the weekend, all transport to and from the airports to Antrim Show, and to the respective herd visits, will be provided and at no cost to attendees.  Depending on numbers a bus may be organised accordingly.

ANTRIM SHOW:  A highlight of the trip will be the visit to Antrim Show on the Saturday with the event also hosting the 2024 NI National Simmental Show.  This will be an opportunity to see some terrific Simmental cattle, meet NI Simmental breeders, and to take in the whole Antrim Show experience.  The NI Club are presently talking to Antrim Show about show tickets and entry costs.

*The NI Simmental Club and the Society will continue to work on the details of this weekend, but we very much hope that this is a solid outline of what is planned and intended.

We very much hope that this first note will allow you to start planning and considering taking part in this Young Members event.

It has all the ingredients to be a fantastic weekend and it will be great to get some formal Young Member event activity up and well and truly running through the summer of 2024.

If you would like to register your interest in this event then please fill out and submit the electronic form below and we will forward you all further information in due course.

Register Your Interest

To register your interest, please fill in the form below: