St Albans students sweep prizes at Herts County Show

Agriculture students from Oaklands College in St Albans took home rosettes after showing their livestock at the Herts County Show.

The students and staff took their best livestock from the college farm at the St Albans Campus in Hatfield Road to the County Show on Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28.

Homebred heifer ‘Ellie’ came top in her class of eight junior females and went on to win female and overall champion of the section.

The Oaklands students also won prizes at the sheep marquee, coming first for their Suffolk ewe and ram lambs and earning the title of champion for their ewe lamb. In the long wool class their Teeswater sheep also came first and was named champion.

At the event, the level two and three students are involved in all the preparation of the animals and stay at the showground all weekend to care for their welfare. The Herts County Show, along with two other county shows they visit each year, is usually the students’ first experience of showing livestock in a public arena.

Oaklands Farm Manager Del Knowles said: “We were thrilled with so many wins at this event - it’s a reflection of just how hard our students work to prepare the sheep and cattle to look their best.

“To see them handling in competitions with such professionalism and expertise and coming up top in so many classes at the show made all the hard work worthwhile.

“They did an excellent job representing the college.”