TECH-savvy Cumbrian young farmers zoomed in on a weekend-long competition-fest.

Hosted by Northumbria YFC, the Northern Area Virtual Weekend saw young farmers represent clubs from all over the county.

The talking heads saw Raughton Head's Cumbria junior public speaking team take first place in the competition, only to go on with their winning ways by being placed second for Cumbria B in the Junior Reading competition. The Junior Member of the Year competition saw Lowick’s Ruth Cooper taking a well-deserved first place for Cumbria A, while Amy Bowness from Greysouthen gave an excellent interview securing her second place for Cumbria B in the Situations Vacant competition.

The young farmers proved they were a brainy bunch with Lowick Cumbria A team placed fifth in the Inter Brainstrust competition, and when it came to debating, Lowick’s Cumbria A team beat off stiff competition for a third in the Open Debating competition. Katie Rothery (Cumbria B, Raughton Head ) was placed second for Best Chair, while the Senior Member of the Year competition saw Eden Valley’s Amy Swinbank taking third place for Cumbria B.

The full results for the Northern Area Weekend will not be known until the Jump Rope, Commercial Dance and Sports competitions are able to take place, hopefully at a later date once Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

The following teams and competitors now go forward to the NFYFC finals which will (Covid restrictions allowing) take place at the Staffordshire Show on July 10: Junior Public Speaking: 1, Cumbria A (Raughton Head ); Junior Reading: 2, Cumbria C (Raughton Head ); JMOTY: 1, Ruth Cooper (Cumbria A, Lowick ); Situations’ Vacant: 2, Amy Bowness (Cumbria B, Greysouthen).