WHEN Worcestershire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs held its first county rally on May 8, 1948, they couldn't quite work out who'd won at the end of the day.

After an afternoon of stock judging, poultry trussing, sheep shearing and tug-of-war on Pitchcroft, Worcester, the results apparently went AWOL and so the champion club for that year is officially listed as "unknown".

That won't happen today.

More than 450 members of the county's 13 Young Farmers' Clubs are descending on Northingtown Farm, Holt Heath, for the 2004 annual county show and competition will be as fierce as anything you'll come across in Athens in August.

Because, not only will the clubs be contesting their own championship, but places will also be up for grabs in the Worcestershire team for the "tri-nations" battle against Herefordshire and Gloucestershire at the Three Counties Show in June.

Young Farmers, in case you were not aware, has come a very long way since 1948.

Sure, there is still stock judging and poultry dressing, but this year's show includes classes for photography, boys' cookery, winemaking and even a comedy weather forecast.

The movement has also, quite some time ago now, ceased to be exclusive to farming families, even if it ever was.

Today, only around 50 per cent of the membership - give or take a bit depending on individual clubs - has a direct connection with agriculture.

The rest are youngsters who, in the main, live in the country but enjoy the social life and comraderie Young Farmers offers.

And there is some social life, believe me.

Young Farmers' dances, barbeques and other bashes are among the most liberating and energetic events you'll find.

This might not necessarily have been at the forefront of thinking when Worcestershire Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs was formed in 1942.

It had evolved from Worcester Calf Club, which started in 1937, and the organisers for the first few years were described as "one or two elderly gentlemen".

By 1947, obviously in no rush, they decided to hold their first annual general meeting. This saw John Tooby, of Powick, elected first county chairman and JR Hugh Sumner of Rashwood Lodge, Droitwich - racehorse owner and philanthropist - elected president.

From then on, it was onwards and upwards.

The first county rally, or show as it later became known, took place the next summer on Worcester racecourse with No1 Training Battalion of the Royal Engineers putting on a PT display, as did Harlequin Alsatians. Not at the same time, presumably.

At the 50th show on May 17, 1997, at Bank Farm, Rochford, strongman Geoff Capes was the celebrity guest.

This year they're doing without that category. Unless you count Evening News editor Stewart Gilbert, who is judging the photography classes.

Today, there are 13 Young Farmers' Clubs in Worcestershire, the newest being Pershore, which was only formed two years ago.

In fact, 2004 marks anniversaries for several of them. Wythall, Crowle and Martley are all 60 years old and Cutnall Green is 25.

The others are at Tenbury Wells, Abberley, Hanley Swan, Upton-upon-Severn, Ombersley, Inkberrow, Hagley and Bromsgrove.

There did used to be one based in Worcester, but that disbanded a while ago.

All the clubs are run by the members themselves, who range in age from 10 to 26. Older than that, you can still be an "associate member", but you can't take part in competitions.

This age spread of 16 years can provide an invaluable social framework for a youngster growing up in a rural area, where opportunities to mix and blend with others are not always on the doorstep.

As well as the discos, dances, summer balls and winter parties, there are plenty of activities to take part in, from flower arranging to manoeuvring tractors and four-wheel-drive vehicles, while several clubs have also arranged outdoors adventure weekends, with sessions of abseiling, climbing and flying down a zip wire.

None of which would have been envisaged by the Calf Club in 1937.

A big part of Young Farmers has always been charity fund raising and many projects in Worcestershire have benefited over the years.

The demise of the Worcester club was all the sadder when you realise that in 1976 it received the Princess Anne Award for its work in cleaning up Perry Wood

So not only are Young Farmers helping themselves and having fun, they're helping the rest of us too.

Today, they're back to basics at Northingtown Farm, which lies opposite the Top Barn complex between Holt and Grimley on the main Worcester to Tenbury Wells road.

Admission to the annual show is £3 and like most farming activities it starts early - 8.30am.

The climax is the grunt and groan of the tug of war, for both men and women, which takes place early this afternoon.

And then, if I know Young Farmers, it's everybody down the beer tent while they work out the winners.