The Northern Ireland operation of the agri-food company ABP turned to YouTube recently to host a virtual awards show for the winners in its skills development programme for teenagers, the ABP Angus Youth Challenge. The announcement of the overall winner and presentation of trophies to the finalist completing the 18-month programme was to be held earlier in March for participating schools but the company cancelled the live event in response to concerns over the spread of the Coronavirus. Faced with imminent school closures ABP set about commissioning a virtual awards ceremony for the teenagers that could watch on YouTube.

The link was then sent out on the day it went live. It included a dedication from the Ireland Ladies Hockey Captain, Katie Mullan on how growing up on a farm had taught her valuable life lessons to help her succeed in the face of challenges. Cool FM and Downtown Radio DJ’s also relayed congratulations to the four finalist teams, Belfast Royal Academy, Enniskillen Royal Grammar, Rainey Endowed Magherafelt and St Louis Grammar School Ballymena.

The overall winning team was the trio of boys from St Loius Grammar. The Challenge has entailed them competing with the other schools in the rearing of their Aberdeen Angus cross calves through to beef which were awarded to them by ABP; then selling them to ABP for a financial reward and completing a research assignment on a particular aspect of Northern Irish Angus beef production. The boys’ theme was to demonstrate ‘the value of family farming to drive sustainability’.

The runner-up in the ABP Angus Youth Challenge is the team from Enniskillen Royal Grammar whose research assignment was on how the Aberdeen Angus breed can enhance the sustainability of farming in Co. Fermanagh. The team managed to raise over £4000 for Northern Ireland Air Ambulance as part of their project.

Congratulating the winners on their success, the Managing Director of ABP, George Mullan said, “Our first set of ABP Angus Youth Challenge award winners complete the 2018-2020 programme with a proud legacy. They have set the bar very high for those who are following in their footsteps. ABP introduced this initiative to help bridge the gap between school and employment. Already we are seeing participants taking the next steps towards working in agri-food and the benefitting from taking part.”

The 2019 ABP Angus Youth Challenge Finalist Teams going through the programme currently are: Aughnacloy College, Fivemiletown College, Royal Belfast Academical Institute and Wallace High School. 17 schools have also been shortlisted to compete for a place on the 2020-2022 programme. For further information visit www.abpangusyouthchallenge.com

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