Two students from Aughnacloy College who have progressed through to the final of the 2024 ABP Angus Youth Challenge are now using their participation in the competition to raise vital funds for Air Ambulance NI.
Fourth year pupils, Jack Steenson (16) from Killylea, Armagh and Alexander Smith (16) from Ballygawley have been tasked with rearing five black Angus cross calves for a year as part of the challenge.
They are now competing against three other schools for the overall title. Each has been given a sustainability message to work on with Jack and Alexander’s centred on promoting sustainable farming to the younger generation.
And, while the pair have conjured a hundred ideas to help clinch the title, they also saw an opportunity to support a worthy cause along the way.
Back in January, the pair cultivated their first fundraising plan by bringing two of the cows to Aughnacloy College’s open night, where P7 pupils from Killylea and Caledon schools were given the opportunity to name them.
‘Matilda’, ‘Muffin’, ‘Mini-Moo’, ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Woody’ were selected as the winning names with all proceeds to the benefit of Air Ambulance NI.
Jack and Alexander’s Angus cross calves
The boys soon realised they were onto a cash cow and beefed up their efforts even further.
Today, the pair are eagerly awaiting the delivery of 500 copies of a specially illustrated booklet they have created to promote sustainable farming practice.
Speaking to Armagh I Jack’s mum, Laura said: “They went out to a few of the local farms. They saw a few wind turbines out at Cormeen and went to JMW Farms to see the bio-digester and a friend of ours has solar panels, so they went there too.
“They have seen lots of different types of renewable energy and that’s partly the message that they are passing on. Their question is specifically about the next generation so that’s why they are doing the children’s book.”
The booklet features 24 pages of illustrations submitted by children from partnering primary schools Caledon, Killylea, Aughnacloy, Lisnadill, Armstrong, Portadown Integrated accompanying a poem written by Jack and Alexander and will be sold at Armagh County Show on June 8.
A number of prizes are to be give out to the children whose illustrations have been chosen with one overall winner for the drawing competition to receive a special prize.
Two of the boys’ cows, Matilda and Mini-Moo, will also be making an appearance at the show for a ‘guess the weight’ competition.
Explained Laura: “The cows are being weighed the night before and we should have a number of vouchers for prizes.”
The boys hope to have a prime location on the show’s main thoroughfare but advise anyone hoping to find them to look out for a pen with two black Angus cows, a pop-up banner and a stock of books!
Alexander and Jack at the Balmoral Show
The entire ABP Angus Youth Challenge experience has been a whirlwind for the fledgling farmers who have even taken to the kitchen – strange territory for the two outdoorsy Agri boys – to complete a series of entertaining cooking videos as part of the Best NI Beef Week Action challenge.
After impressing the judges from LMC, ABP and Certified Irish Angus the pair took first prize winning a feature on Downtown Country’s live broadcast from the Balmoral Show with Victoria Quinn.
Of the overall experience Jack said: “We are looking forward for the Armagh Show and we are hoping that a good amount of people are going to buy tickets for the competition and the book.
“Alexander and I would also like to thank ABP Angus Youth Challenge for giving us this opportunity.”
