At 15-years-old, one of Ruben Davies’ biggest fears was public speaking. Four years later and the 19-year-old member of Llangadog YFC is celebrating being crowned the national Young Stockjudge of the Year after competing in the national final for the first time.
The competition, which was held at Harper Adams University, was sponsored by Kerbl/Rutland Electric Fencing, who also gave each winner a Dual Powered Energiser.
Ruben, who had successfully made it through Carmarthenshire and Wales rounds to get to the national final, credited his club with building his confidence.
“When I was about 15, I was too scared to stand up in front of a judge and say anything. But then over the years, the senior members gave me tips, I went to more competitions and listened to how they gave reasons and I had help at home too. I have picked it up slowly to reach the top,” said Ruben who is the fourth generation on his family’s beef and sheep farm.
Ruben took part in a YFC Public Speaking competition for the first time last year and believes this also helped him achieve success.
“You just have to practice, practice and practice,” said Ruben. “Go to every single county competition.”
The competition required members to judge four rings of stock (beef animals judged as butcher’s animals; breeding ewes judged for breeding potential; butcher's pigs judged for slaughter; dairy animals as productive animals).
Competitors also had to complete a simple multi-choice animal health and husbandry questionnaire and were required to identify cuts of meat. Ruben also placed second in Dairy, joint second in Pigs and third in Sheep.
Reason giving is the key to success in stockjudging competitions and Ruben was surprised by the different approaches he overheard at the final.
“I was flabbergasted at the variation in how people gave their reasons. I would start with my first animal and then compare with the next and how they are better, and you compare back and forth. I must be doing something right though!”
It’s Ruben’s love of the competition that has spurred him on to winning heights. His club don’t even ask if he wants to take part anymore and just put his name down.
“It’s in the blood,” explained Ruben. “Raised on a farm and with agriculture and animals and I just love to know and be around animals.”
Ruben works on the farm alongside a role with an agricultural builder, which keeps him busy, but he finds time for practising and attending club meetings and competitions. Ruben’s father had taken part in Stockjudging as a member but never went as far in the competition as Ruben.
“When I was being awarded the trophy at the NFYFC final my sister was filming it on FaceTime for my father who was watching it at home – he was very proud.”
Other winners in the Young Stockjudge of the Year category included Deio from Montgomery for the Pig Reasons, Thomas Herd from Yorkshire for Dairy, Gethin Davies from Ceredigion and Max Robinson from Yorkshire A for Breeding Ewes and Beef.
The Senior Stockjudge of the Year competition also took place during the weekend, with Rebeca James from Ceredigion taking first place and winning the overall project too.
Rebeca had previously won the overall competition in 2023.
Other winners in the senior category included: Luned Jones from Carmarthenshire for Pigs, Daisy Gibson from Leicestershire and Carys Owen from Pembrokshire for Dairy, Claire Rylett from Lancashire for Breeding Ewes and Elizabeth Swancott from Radnor for Beef.
