Leo McEnroe teaches the tricks of the trade at the Republic of Ireland workshop

Fedamore in Co Limerick: Everyone at home told me I’d get lost in Ireland, everybody in Ireland said it was easy to find!

I managed to high jack Chrissie Lawrence’s trip to Ireland as I had heard tell that she had sat nav! I’d flown into Cork so we had stayed there overnight and got up very early the next morning to make our way to the workshop. Sat nav was great (Tom Tom is my new best friend!) and we found Fedamore with ease. At the junction in the village was as promised a sign, so we followed the arrow and travelled along this road until we met another junction, no sign! We travelled around in various directions and then decided to go back to the original sign in Fedamore. Just as we got there, Eustace Burke Jnr was putting up a sign to say the farm/workshop was right on that junction! Moral of the story – it never pays to be too early!!

When we arrived at Castlequarter Farm the whole place was a hive of activity with people brushing and washing and cooking and even gardening! Tim and Doreen Corridan had kindly agreed to let us use their facilities for the Youth Development Programme but they were also having a Munster Club Open Day, so people of all ages could come and view the cattle and learn a few tricks of the trade. Eight participants had entered for the YDP, but numbers varied throughout the day with at least 12 being there for the whole time. Eustace Burke junior and senior helped me organise the day and had secured the services of Leo McEnroe as trainer. Leo, like most of our trainers comes from a good line of pedigree breeding and I understand many Irish success stories have some form of McEnroe involvement.

The Corridan Family had prepared six calves that were still on the cows which meant that they were of an appropriate size for the participants to handle, although they did seem to have minds of their own!

Leo started the day with a talk on feeding show cattle, which is one of the most important parts of showing cattle. He then went on to bedding up animals and tying them up securely and safely, everyone then had the chance to practice the quick release knot that Leo had shown them.

Then it was onto the bit that all the participants love, hands on experience! After a brief health and safety chat and a demonstration on getting to know your animal and the correct handling procedures, all attendees were let loose on washing the 6 calves. There were buckets and combs and soap and water everywhere. Luckily it was a really warm and sunny morning and the participants and calves didn’t seem to notice getting saturated.

Every bit of the animals was scrubbed and it was great to see the young people helping each other out too. There wasn’t anyone stood looking on, they all had something to do.

It was then time to stop for lunch, the Corridan’s had prepared a wonderful picnic for everyone and as usual at these events, just as we sat down to eat a little black cloud came over and left the weather a little cooler than the morning. It didn’t deter the enthusiastic crowd though and there were many more onlookers when Leo had a heifer out to point out the cuts of meat, all the youngsters prodded and poked the heifer to get an idea of where things were and what they should be looking for in a beef animal.

We were then treated to a talk explaining the 5* system of performance figures, given to us by Doreen Corridan and the older generation took the chance to ask some questions. We then went onto the clipping clinic. Leo took a heifer calf and showed everyone just why he is so successful, the heifer was covered in hair and when he had finished she looked like an All Ireland Show Champ.

When I showed my Dad the pictures of the workshop, it was the first thing he commented on was this lovely heifer and how well she was presented. So anyone going to the Corridan’s dispersal sale should definitely have a look at Lot 23a!

Once calves had been buffed and fluffed it was time for some ring craft. While 6 members paraded the calves the others helped with pushing the calves on or in some cases retrieving them after they’d made a break for the cow! They all stood them up squarely using a stick. They then swapped over and the others got the chance to show.

The day finished with the halter making display which is great when the participants can take something they have made home. I must be learning a little as I tried to issue some advice to one young person making a halter, she’d obviously read my reports where I said I didn’t know how to do it yet as she asked Neil McEnroe who’s 12 how to help her instead!!

I was glad that Chrissie could come along to see what the YDP training workshops are all about, I’m always bending her ear about the enthusiasm and skill that is already evident in the youngsters. Whilst watching the ring craft we both thought that they were all capable of being top class stock persons, and a lot of them have pretty good showing careers already!

Yet another fantastic workshop thanks to Leo McEnroe, Tim, Doreen and Katie Corridan and staff, Matthew Goulding and Eustace Burke Jnr & Senior.

I know that some people have been disappointed not to have more workshops in the Republic of Ireland, with an entry of only 13 across the whole of the Republic, it didn’t seem prudent to have too many. There are two points to the YDP, learning new skills and meeting people. It was felt that from the social side of things, workshops with 3 or 4 defeated the object. I hope that the Republic of Ireland will see how fantastic the workshop was in Limerick so they will enter the YDP next year and we can hopefully have a workshop in all areas. I also hope that we can secure Leo for another year as he really was good.