Leitrim school students announced as runners-up at 2022 Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition
At an awards ceremony in Croke Park today, Grace McKeon and Jane Carty from Carrick-On-Shannon Community School received the runner-up award for the final of the 2022 Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition. Organised by Certified Irish Angus Beef, ABP and Kepak, the competition challenges students to rear five Angus calves for 18 months as part of their Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science project. The aim of the competition is to encourage second level students to gain an understanding about the care and attention that is required to produce and promote the highest quality, beef for consumers.
The study conducted by the girls helped the students to better understand the impacts farming can have mentally and physically; the positive contribution the Angus breed can have for farmers and the role of health and safety on the farm. This inspired them to produce an emergency contact details sheet for farmers.
The second part of the girls’ plan was to create a farmyard map with the different hazards marked out using a traffic light system in order to remind farmers and visitors about the areas of the farm that could be dangerous.
Speaking at the ceremony, the judges said : “A willingness to help others is a cornerstone of Irish rural life and a practice that is woven into the fabric of Irish Agriculture. Grace and Jane developed a farm map marking various hazards using a traffic light system.”
Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Rachael Blackmore was the virtual special guest for this year’s awards ceremony. Rachael, who hails from a farming background and has strong family links to farming, shared her experience of growing up on a farm; detailing how this positively impacted her love for animals, career and sporting achievements through instilling a good work ethic that allowed her to reach dreams beyond her wildest imagination.
For further information on the project visit www.certifiedirishangus.ie/certified-irish-angus-schools-competition/