YFCU public speaking competition finals 2018

The Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster (YFCU) members recently participated in the public speaking competition finals 2018 which was held on Tuesday, November 6th at Magherafelt High School.
James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 12-14 category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Philip Crawford (Seskinore YFC), James Gregg (Glarryford YFC) and Amy Gregg (Glarryford YFC)James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 12-14 category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Philip Crawford (Seskinore YFC), James Gregg (Glarryford YFC) and Amy Gregg (Glarryford YFC)
James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 12-14 category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Philip Crawford (Seskinore YFC), James Gregg (Glarryford YFC) and Amy Gregg (Glarryford YFC)

The popular competition has been kindly sponsored for a number of years by NFU Mutual Insurance Society Limited.

The competition sought to find the best prepared and impromptu public speakers among the YFCU members in Northern Ireland.

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In the prepared section, competitors delivered a pre-prepared speech chosen from a specified list of topics.

James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 14-16 category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Zara Ginniff (Annaclone and Magherally YFC), Ivanna Strawbridge (Coleraine YFC) and Adam Gaston (Glarryford YFC)James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 14-16 category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Zara Ginniff (Annaclone and Magherally YFC), Ivanna Strawbridge (Coleraine YFC) and Adam Gaston (Glarryford YFC)
James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 14-16 category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Zara Ginniff (Annaclone and Magherally YFC), Ivanna Strawbridge (Coleraine YFC) and Adam Gaston (Glarryford YFC)

These included:

Brexit - No deal is better than a bad deal

Immigration encourages diversity

Cyclists should pay to use the roads

James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 25-30 prepared category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Andrew Patton (Newtownards YFC), Zita McNaugher (Moneymore YFC) and Judith McKinley (Trillick YFC)James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 25-30 prepared category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Andrew Patton (Newtownards YFC), Zita McNaugher (Moneymore YFC) and Judith McKinley (Trillick YFC)
James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 25-30 prepared category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Andrew Patton (Newtownards YFC), Zita McNaugher (Moneymore YFC) and Judith McKinley (Trillick YFC)

Education and farming are interlinked

Online gaming leads to offline issues

Education vs experience

Succession planning in agriculture

James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 21-25 impromptu category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Rebecca Lamont (Coleraine YFC), Alana Buckley (Straid YFC) and Shannen Vance (Trillick YFC)James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 21-25 impromptu category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Rebecca Lamont (Coleraine YFC), Alana Buckley (Straid YFC) and Shannen Vance (Trillick YFC)
James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 21-25 impromptu category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Rebecca Lamont (Coleraine YFC), Alana Buckley (Straid YFC) and Shannen Vance (Trillick YFC)

The visual effects of climate chance

Should NI Assembly Members salary be suspended?

Evolving agriculture

Everybody should learn to play a team sport

James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 21-25 prepared category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Cathy Reid (Glarryford YFC), Hannah Kirkpatrick (Kilraughts YFC) and Alana Buckley (Straid YFC)James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 21-25 prepared category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Cathy Reid (Glarryford YFC), Hannah Kirkpatrick (Kilraughts YFC) and Alana Buckley (Straid YFC)
James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 21-25 prepared category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Cathy Reid (Glarryford YFC), Hannah Kirkpatrick (Kilraughts YFC) and Alana Buckley (Straid YFC)

What happiness means to me

In the impromptu competition, members were given an unseen topic and a limited amount of time to structure their speeches and deliver them to the judges.

The judges listened intently to 101 speeches, and these were assessed according to platform manner, voice production and on the content and marshalling of facts. The judges were thoroughly impressed by a range of varied and entertaining speeches, thus had a difficult task due to the high standard presented.

Guest speaker on the evening was Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio, and Donaghadee YFC member.

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Hannah commended all the finalists on their public speaking skills, as she recalled her own experience of being in that position having competed previously.

She went on to advise members how being part of YFCU has benefitted her career greatly in terms of her communication and teamwork skills.

James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 18-21 impromptu category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Adam Alexander (Kilrea YFC) and Ellen King (Glarryford YFC). (George Hadnett, Mountnorris YFC not pictured)James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 18-21 impromptu category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Adam Alexander (Kilrea YFC) and Ellen King (Glarryford YFC). (George Hadnett, Mountnorris YFC not pictured)
James Speers, YFCU president, Robert Caldwell from sponsors NFU Mutual, and Hannah Spratt, broadcast journalist at Q Radio and Donaghadee YFC member pictured with the winners of the 18-21 impromptu category at the YFCU public speaking finals, (left to right) Adam Alexander (Kilrea YFC) and Ellen King (Glarryford YFC). (George Hadnett, Mountnorris YFC not pictured)

YFCU president James Speers announced the winners, with NFU Mutual’s Robert Caldwell on hand to present the prizes.

The YFCU would like to thank the sponsor NFU Mutual Insurance Society Limited, Robert Caldwell, guest speaker Hannah Spratt, the chairs, judges and trainers who helped throughout the competition, Magherafelt High School for their assistance during the final and finally the YFCU members who took part.

The top three members in each class were placed as follows:

12-14 prepared

3rd Amy Gregg, Glarryford YFC

2nd Philip Crawford, Seskinore YFC

1st James Gregg, Glarryford YFC

14-16 prepared

3rd Zara Ginniff, Annaclone and Magherally YFC

2nd Adam Gaston, Glarryford YFC

1st Ivanna Strawbridge, Coleraine YFC

16-18 prepared

3rd Eva McClurg, Glarryford YFC

2nd Ellen Crawford, Seskinore YFC

1st Helen Chapman, Hillhall YFC

16-18 impromptu

3rd Alex Cleland, Spa YFC

2nd Carys Martin, Ballywalter YFC

1st James Currie, Kilraughts YFC

18-21 prepared

3rd Adam Alexander, Kilrea YFC

2nd Maxine Smyth, Coleraine YFC

1st Thomas McNeil, Kilraughts YFC

18-21 impromptu

3rd George Hadnett, Mountnorris

2nd Adam Alexander, Kilrea YFC

1st Ellen King, Glarryford YFC

21-25 prepared

3rd Alana Buckley, Straid YFC

2nd Cathy Reid, Glarryford YFC

1st Hannah Kirkpatrick, Kilraughts YFC

21-25 impromptu

3rd Rebecca Lamont, Coleraine YFC

2nd Shannen Vance, Trillick YFC

1st Alana Buckley, Straid YFC

25-30 prepared

3rd Judith McKinley, Trillick YFC

2nd Andrew Patton, Newtownards YFC

1st Zita McNaugher, Moneymore YFC

25-30 impromptu

3rd Victoria Ross, Newtownstewart YFC

2nd Jane Kilpatrick, Donaghadee YFC

1st Gemma Dickey, Randalstown YFC