GLORIOUS spring sunshine blessed the 56th Annual County Show of the Worcestershire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, to the immense relief of this year's county chairman, Demelza Audis, and everyone involved in the preparation for the highlight of their year.

The recent spell of rain and floods had heightened anxiety that the mud and drenchings at last year's County Show might be matched again. But the May sunshine dried the ground at this year's picturesque venue at Northingtown Farm, Holt Health. The immaculate buildings were ideal for the competitions, displays and catering, and for the evening's jollifications after the stress of competing was over.

There are no less than 47 different competitions covering a wide range of skills, from farm husbandry and stockjudging to domestic and culinary, woodwork and metalwork, photography, winemaking, first aid and the preparation of exhibits as well as field events, including the tug o' war. These nearly all take place on the day of the show, apart from the stockjudging, which is held beforehand.

This all demands a feat of organisation, involving stewards and judges for every event, and co-ordination to post up the results and scores as the climax builds up to see which club is going to emerge as county champions.

Congratulations to Crowle, who came out top as 2004 county champions, followed by Wythall, with Cutnall Green third and Bromsgrove fourth.

Biggest crowd-puller was the tug o' war, where Crowle just managed to beat Bromsgrove by the best of three pulls after a long heave, which looked as though it could have gone either way. Wythall were third and Cutnall Green fourth.

The Bromsgrove Ladies proved much too strong for the opposition, with Wythall second, then Crowle and Cutnall Green.

A great deal of ingenuity and imagination had gone into the club exhibits, depicting the them from a West End show. "Singin' in the Rain," Crowle's brilliant scene, won first place. Clever lighting gave the impression of wet pavements with mirrors reflecting the glow. Wythall were runner up, with Inkberrow third, among an impressive variety that must have given the judges a testing time.

Chairman Demelza, whose work for Defra at Whittington involves training the staff in IT, confessed that she had taken a week of her annual leave to give her full attention to the preparations leading up to the show. No wonder everything went like clockwork.

Mention of Defra reminds me that they have made a contribution of £50,000 to further the efforts of the Young Farmers movement in the West Midlands. It is significant that the Government Department values the positive contribution of YFCs in rural areas. The clubs have a very special ability of drawing young people from very contrasting backgrounds to meet, socialise and work together as club members. At least half the members are drawn from towns and cities, the rest from farms, big and small and from villages. This must foster positive mutual understanding. Young Farmer membership has led to countless townsfolk funding a life in the country, not to mention a great many romances!

Worcestershire Young Farmers are now feeling the immense benefit of having their own county HQ, at Shires Farm, Hawford. For many years their administration was run from a room in the Ministry of Agriculture offices at Whittington and then for a number of years from a place in a farm building at the Agricultural College Farm at Hindlip.

Now they are able to hold their own meetings at Shires Farm, and also to provide an excellent venue, with catering facilities for events laid on by the NFU, CLA and other organisations. They have also been able to take crops off their land.

Now plans are in hand to further convert their buildings, so that they can be let. It will be of immense benefit if they can construct their own access to the main road. They should be set for a very positive future. The tremendous spirit of vigour and friendship at this year's County Show bodes well for the way ahead.

Young Farmers intent on a future in farming must find encouragement from the optimistic mood of the 4,000 YFC members who attended the recent Blackpool convention.

While a panel of experts discussed the tremendous shake-up in farming with the EU enlargement and the phasing out of production subsidies, they spoke of the great challenges ahead, but challenges that should also open up greater flexibility and chances for younger entrants to farming.