At this year’s Royal Norfolk Show, I spent the day covering the AgroChallenge, an international competition bringing together young farmers from across Europe, including teams from countries such as Germany and Finland.
The entire competition was based in one area, with a series of practical agricultural challenges running side by side throughout the day.
Each task was judged on factors such as accuracy, quality of work and completion time, meaning every team was constantly working under pressure while being assessed on performance.
One of the first challenges was the seed drill task, where teams had to calibrate equipment as accurately and efficiently as possible. The German team stood out here, working through the setup process with impressive speed and confidence, showing a clear understanding of the machinery and task requirements.
Another major challenge was bricklaying. Teams were given a set number of bricks and had to build a wall, dismantle it, move it to a new position, and rebuild it again, repeating the process as many times as possible within ten minutes. The Austrian team was particularly impressive in this section, maintaining a fast and consistent rhythm while still producing well-built walls under strict time pressure.
Other challenges included milking cows, where teams aimed to collect as much milk as possible within a set time, and calculation-based tasks that tested agricultural knowledge and decision-making skills. Although each task was different, they all highlighted the variety of skills needed in modern farming.
Overall, the day felt like a concentrated showcase of agricultural training and ability. Watching teams such as Germany and Austria approach the challenges in different ways made the level of skill on display very clear, and showed just how precise and demanding modern agriculture has become.
Blog piece and photography by Zach Weal of College of West Anglia.
