UK Jersey Youth

Jo Stubbs

My name is Jo Stubbs; I am 27 years old and a deputy manager at a Children’s Day Nursery, I’m also Vice County Chairman of Derbyshire Young Farmers and UK Jersey Youths Chairman.

My family’s herd prefix is Coldeaton.

I have been involved with Jerseys and especially showing since I can remember, leading calves as soon as I could walk or should I say them leading me. This is why I am keen to help improve and promote Jersey Youth so we can offer more for the members.

Together we run a herd of 45 Jerseys mainly young stock but we do have a few cows. As we do not sell our milk we rear calves and pigs on what we produce. We also have 90breeding ewes.

I have always loved the friendly but competitive atmosphere at shows and the friends you make along the way, its like they say once you got the bug that’s it, and I guess I inherited mine off dad.

If you have any ideas that I can put forward at a meeting or need any help or support, please contact me by email at jo.stubbs@live.co.uk Or by phone on 07792283438

Matt Pye

My name is Matt Pye and I am 20 years old.

I work on the family farm in the Lune Valley, Lancashire, milking 200 cows and we are in the final stages of changing from all Holsteins to all Jerseys, following the formation of Bayview Jersey Herd in 2004.

Last year we achieved several Championships in the show ring and our first Interbreed Champion.

We also hosted the Jersey Youth Weekend which is something I would encourage all Jersey Youth to take part in for a cool weekend.

Lizzie Bland

Info about myself? erm,
I am 19, I live at Abbott Lodge, home of 'Clifton Jerseys.' We have 270 head of pedigree cattle.

I work for Sheila Metcalfe, cattle photographer, and I enjoy meeting new people and setting up the cows ready to be photographed.

I am also an active member of Penrith Y.F.C enjoying the social side of farming and competitions.

Milly Shipley

My name is Milly Shipley; I am 18 years old and will be starting a degree in Rural Land Management at The Royal Agricultural College in October.

My prefix is Pavenham.

I have always had a strong passion for Jersey cows and from a young age I have taken part in handling competitions and stock judging, with both Jerseys and Holsteins. I have had great success at both local and national level.

I have been team leader at the Young Member’s Weekend and am always happy to help and give advice to the younger members.

Izzy Wright

I’m Izzy Wright from Fourcrosses Jerseys based in Staffordshire. Fourcrosses is a family farm running breeding ewes, a herd of beef cattle along with a fattening unit but, most importantly to me, are the 230 pedigree Jersey cows with 200 followers.

Those that know me will know that this is a huge part of my life and a passion in which I would be lost without. I was only a young girl when I found I had a big craze for these brown four legged creatures and as I got older my passion grew bigger.

My first memories of involvements in the breed would be when I began leading calves at local shows, then as I got older my brother and I took part in many YJB weekends in which I gained a lot, such as learning more about the breed, clipping, showmanship and things I learnt from the older breeders. Most importantly was the friends I made along the way.

Taking this home the hobby then became a bit more of a competition when I wanted to be higher up the line. I took a lot more interest in the work at home, breaking calves and helping to prepare them.

That is when I was working my way up and all the hard work started to pay off. My first memorable achievement was winning the Champion Coloured Breeds’ Handler in 2002 and many other local calf and handler competitions. It definitely takes a lot of hard work and dedication and has all be worth. In 2010 our herd won 6 Breed Championships, some 35 cups and trophies and the Herds’ Competitions in the North Midlands JCC.

Fourcrosses’ proudest moment was being awarded the Lilly Hill Perpetual Challenge Cup.

After leaving college with a NDA I am now working full time with the herd at home, concentrating on the health of the cows, fertility, sire selection, and advertising the herd in ways such as showing and entering competitions.

I have mainly worked along side my dad but always listened to others in the industry. One day I do hope to follow in my dad’s foot steps, with a few tweaks along the way! I always believe no one ever stops learning, and I have always wanted to look at the dairy systems abroad to see how different places/countries work. This year I was honoured to win a trip to Denmark with the Jerseys, on behalf of Viking Genetics. I met some fantastic people, saw some amazing farms which are home to hundreds of astonishing cows. This trip has made me think more in to the production of the Jersey cow, as sometimes she is under estimated. This was a fantastic trip in which I would encourage other young members to take part in.