The 2022 Macra Na Feirme Challenges day ran at Gurteen Agricultural College Ballingarry Co. Tipperary on Wednesday, 27, April 2022. The overall winners this year were Kildalton College.
Teams of 12 students from Teagasc and private agricultural colleges around Ireland competed in sport, presentations, and skills learned during the college year such as stock judging, welding, tractor driving and teamwork challenges.
This year National Broadband Ireland sponsored a new team technology challenge. This required participants to present on the “technology that they would like to adopt in their future land-based work situations”.
Scholarship
Continuing its long-time affiliation with the Macra Challenges Day, FRS Networks renewed its sponsorship of a three-month scholarship to FRS Networks.
This challenge focused on health, safety and welfare in the land-based sector.
Herdwatch Ireland sponsored the sport challenge and Women in Agriculture sponsored the workshop skills challenge.
The various challenges were judged by Macra Na Feirme president, John Keane; Teagasc head of education, Dr. AnneMarie Butler; Siobhan Dooley from FRS Network; Mervyn Harvey of Herdwatch Ireland and Niall Beirne from National Broadband Ireland (NBI).
Kildalton wins overall and two category awards
The winners of the different challenges were:
Team challenge Winner Soccer Kildalton College, Co. Kilkenny National Broadband Award Mountbellew Agriculture College, Co. Galway FRS Scholarship Kildalton College, Co. Kilkenny Stock judging Clonakilty College, Co. Cork Welding Gurteen College, Co. Tipperary Tractor driving Gurteen College, Co. Tipperary Problem solving Gurteen College, Co. Tipperary
Macra na Feirme president, John Keane said: “All of the students here were exceptional, well done to all that participated. Macra, Teagasc and FRS have a long-standing relationship and it is our pleasure to continue to participate in the Ag Challenges Day.
“Young Farmers play an important role in our organisation and it is great to see the up and coming generation of young farmers.”
Siobhan Dooley from FRS Networks said: “The FRS sponsored competition is in memory of FRS staff who made an outstanding contribution to the organisation.”
Niall Beirne from NBI added: “NBI [is] rolling out highspeed broadband throughout Ireland, and [sees] technology as playing a major role in the agri-sector.”
Imelda Walsh from Women in Agriculture said that “It is testament to Gurteen College to see so many female students in the college.
“Gender balance enriches interactions across all aspects of agriculture, and brings a much more rounded approach. It is great to see that the role of women is being recognised and brought to the fore.”