The Irish Hereford Breed Society will be bringing a team of four young Hereford breeders aged between 18 and 26 years of age to the World Hereford Conference in Kansas, USA in October 2025.  Irish Hereford Prime have created a travel bursary for the event to the total value of €10,000. This will see each of the four successful candidates receive €2,500 towards the cost of their trip.

As part of the World Hereford Conference there is a dedicated young breeder competition that will take place from the 19th to the 25th of October 2025. The Irish Hereford Breed Society and Irish Hereford Prime intend to run a competition throughout 2024 to choose a team of four young Hereford breeders to travel to Kansas and compete against young Hereford breeders from around the world.

At the World Hereford Conference, young breeders will participate in a variety of skills-based events centred around the United States agriculture industry. To conclude the event, the young breeders will participate in a fitting and showmanship competition at the American Royal on October 25^th 2025 with the winners being crowned at the closing reception. Further details for the event in Kansas will be posted by the American Hereford Association as they become available. Each of the four members of Team Ireland will be entitled to a €2,500 travel bursary from Irish Hereford Prime to be able to make the journey and compete in the international competition. There are also tours organised either side of the World Hereford Conference that young breeders would be eligible to attend if they wished to do so.

Competition Schedule for 2024:

Hereford breeders or Son / Daughter or Niece / nephew of Registered Hereford breeders.

Aged 18 – 26 years of age on 1^st November 2025 (born between 1st November 2007 and 2nd November 1998) 

Launch: 15^th April 2024

End: October 2024 – GVM

• Application form – 10%– email louise@irishhereford.com to obtain this form – Deadline is midnight on 3^rd May 2024

• Workshop – 20%
• Grooming / show prep / clipping / haltering & leading cattle.
• Presentation & dressing of oneself for showing.
• Ability to discuss / describe how they prepared and presented their animal.

• Show – attend one of four designated shows – 25%
• Must show a Hereford animal in one of the main Hereford classes during the show – not just in the YH class. An independent judge(s) to score that person’s abilities.

• Factory tour and Stock judging of HEX animals ahead of slaughter – 20% – scored on accuracy of estimated carcase weights, grades & fat scores.

• Final stage – Private interview including a 3-minute presentation – 28^th September 2024 at The Tullamore Court Hotel -25%

Team Ireland – Winners will be obliged to:

1. Finalists requested to attend the National Hereford Calf show 2024 in GVM Tullamore.
2. Make presentation at the IHBS AGM in March 2025
3. Video/s interviews of winners on their farm/s or all on one farm.
4. Attend one workshop day in 2025
5. Social media – winners will be expected to generate their own social media video & telling the story of their trip, uploading to their own SM channels, and tagging @irishherefordprime who may share some of the content. Full details will be supplied.

While at the Conference, contestants will take part in a variety of skills based events centered around the United States agriculture industry.
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To conclude the competition, youth will participate in a fitting and showmanship competition at the American Royal on Oct. 25, 2025. The winners will be crowned at the closing reception. Details for the event will be posted as they become available.

For further information please contact louise@irishhereford.com or on 044 9348855.