A big one for the Young Farmer calender – the National competitions weekend – saw members from across the country battle it out in competitions throughout the two-day event, with Jennifer Veitch, of Mauchline YFC, being crowned ‘Member of the Year’ for 2020.

First up on Saturday morning, Heather Wildman and Laura Strang, of QMS, carried out workshops on leadership and communications for those keen on taking on club office bearer roles.

Later in the day, Carluke YFC bowled over their fellow teams in Dunfermline pinning first place in the National 10-pin bowling, with Biggar YFC in second and West Renfrewshire YFC knocking their way into third.

An eager crowd gathered at the 1703 venue in Dunfermline, on Saturday night, for the national ‘Member of the Year’ announcement – and the crowd witnessed Jennifer Veitch, of Ayrshire District and Mauchline YFC be announced as 2020’s winner. She will now represent SAYFC throughout the year!

“To win national member of the year is something I could never have imagined winning, I thought it was so far out my capability. I feel ecstatic, proud and privileged to now join part of the national council and have a voice and influence on the upcoming future of young farmers,” she said.

“I am looking to give a positive and honest reflection into finding a balance between tradition and progressiveness with learning, discussion and member support at the front of my intentions.

“At the end of the day, YF is a life changing movement to which I feel entirely lucky to be a part of and to win national member of the year is an unforgettable achievement,” added Missr Veitch, who works as a sales assistant at Tarff Valley merchants and is secretary of her local club.

Judges were: Jane Armstrong, Allan Grant and Finlay McFarlane, who selected Laura Brown, of Angus Tayside District’s Strathmore JAC, as second, with Lanarkshire District’s Lyndsay Wight, of Biggar YFC in third.

Footballers braved the weather for Sunday’s National competition which saw Ayrshire District A lifting the trophy. In a close final, Carluke YFC was runner-up, with Biggar YFC in third.

Keeping the crowd entertained in the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Gogarburn venue was Sunday’s quiz team final, where Carluke YFC claimed the National status of ‘quiz champions’ with Crossroads YFC in second and East Region’s Forfar JAC in third place.

The National senior speech making saw the final results of the weekend where Ayrshire scooped a couple of individual prizes out with the winning team, with ‘best speaker’ prize going to Andrew Taylor, of Crossroads YFC and Rachel Templeton gaining the ‘Best chairman’ accolade.

Winning the National team competition, though – as judged by Fiona Bruce, James Orr and Tom Kirkland – was Bankfoot JAC. The winning team were trained by Euna Scott with the team consisting of – Anna Sloan, Beth Alexander, Mhairi Dalgliesh and Rosanna Fraser, who also picked up ‘best panel member overall’ in the prize-giving.

The Bankfoot ladies will now represent SAYFC in Toronto at the Royal Winter Fair’s ‘Canadian young speakers competition’.

In second place were the speech makers from Mauchline YFC – Rachel Templeton, Callum Bryson, Ewan Corbett and Eilidh Ramsay. Taking home the yellow ticket was Stranraer and Rhins YFC’s Scott Service, Neil Ramsay, Rachael Baillie and Ailsa Buchanan.