Bishop Burton Students Are Top Of The Crop At This Year’s Cereals Challenge

Three Bishop Burton College Foundation Degree students have successfully beaten off competition from universities and Colleges around the country to take home the top spot at this year’s Cereals Challenge.

The College’s team, made up of Rhys Jones (team captain), Harry Torn and Shane Hardgrave took complete responsibility for a plot in mid-February, and were tasked with growing and marketing a pea crop of their choice, deciding on the Sakuri variety of Marrowfat pea.

The team was responsible for all aspects of the crop until earlier this week, when their efforts were judged by Keith Norman, technical director at Velcourt, Dick Neale, technical manager of Hutchinsons, Roger Vickers of the PGRO, Claire Domoney from the John Innes Centre, as well as Robert Law, farmer host for the Cereals event.

The competition challenged students to provide agronomic recommendations based on effective input cost management, estimated crop yield and the quality, as well as the marketing of the crop. Judges were so impressed with the meticulous and methodical processes the team followed, that as well as winning, they were all offered summer internships with Hutchinsons. According to the judges, it was ‘one of the finest, and most successful crops, the competition has ever seen’.

The College beat off stiff competition from Newcastle University, The Royal Agricultural University, Harper Adams University, Easton & Otley College and Bishop Burton’s sister campus Riseholme College, to secure the top spot.

Jeanette Dawson, Principal and Chief Executive of Riseholme College, a part of Bishop Burton, said:

“I am absolutely thrilled with the success of our students this year. Enriching activities like this really help students to put theory into practice, and that’s what we pride ourselves on at Bishop Burton – providing students with the industry skills to succeed. It’s wonderful to see their hard work and dedication deliver such a fantastic result. Well done to the team!”