County Armagh YFC show off Machinery Handling skills

The Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster held their annual Machinery Handling competition at the Balmoral Show on Thursday 14th May 2026. George Porter (Mountnorris YFC) and Joel Milligan (Collone YFC) represented County Armagh YFC and finished up as the winning team.

Held in association with Johnston Gilpin & Co, this event brought a large crowd of spectators to the Cattle Lawn. Two members from clubs in each of the six counties were selected from county heats to make up the teams. Those who previously completed the Machinery Handling heats with the highest points took part in the final of the competition.

Points were awarded for successfully making it through the course and driving around the posts; however, teams were penalised for a variety of reasons, including not complying with safety regulations, touching markers, and causing unnecessary damage to the ground. This competition was designed to test both the drivers’ tractor skills and safety knowledge.

YFCU worked closely with judges William Richmond and Selwin Graham from CAFRE, who assisted with the planning and design of the course to test the competitors’ tractor skills and safety knowledge. Matthew Gilbert represented Johnston Gilpin & Co during the competition and was photographed with the award winners.