National Dairy Council

Future farmers, Trish Halpin, from Knocklong NS, Limerick, Madison Ward, from St. Brigid’s National School, Drumkeeran, Leitrim, Annie Joyce, from St. Brigid’s National School, Drumcong, Leitrim and Emily Lambes, from St. Patricks ns, Ballinagore, Westmeath, pictured at the National Dairy Council garden at Bord Bia Bloom.

Westmeath student selected as winner of Future Farmer competition

National Dairy Council

Published: Tue 3 Jun 2025, 9:37 AM

Last updated: Tue 3 Jun 2025, 9:39 AM

One young Westmeath farmer had a pre summer windfall when she scooped a national farming prize.

Emily Lambe was selected as a winner in the National Dairy Council (NDC) Future Farmer competition at Bord Bia Bloom last Thursday (May 29).

Eleven years old Emily, a pupil at St Patrick's NS, Ballinagore, Westmeath was one of four, along with the other winners from Leitrim and Limerick.

“I send in a video about why I wanted to be a future farmer. I spoke about what I like about farming and what I don't like about farming and what I see as the future of farming,” Emily told the Examiner.

St Patrick's NS, Ballinagore was one of hundreds of schools across the country to entered the competition. This was the second annual Future Farmer competition hosted by the National Dairy Council.

The competition encouraged students to be creative about what Future Farming will be like. Emily highlighted what attracts her to farming: “It's great being out in the countryside, spending time with my daddy and looking after all the animals.”

Of course there are downsides to agricultural life: “Sometimes it can be hard to sell animals, because you can build an attachment to them and it can be hard to let them go.”

Emily was one of the winners who participated in a special guest spot on a panel at the Bord Bia Bloom Festival, “At the Bloom Festival I had to talk on a panel. I got a One4All voucher for €150 and my whole class will be going on a trip to a working dairy farm.”

Emily's life on a beef farm, and her selection as a Future Farmer, will mean that a trip to the dairy farm will not be new to her, but it will give many of her school friends an insight into farming.

The other three students selected as winners were: Madison Ward of Drumkeerin NS, Drumkeerin Leitrim; Annie Joyce of St Brigid's NS, Drumcong, Leitrim; and Trish Halpin of Knocklong NS, Knocklong, Limerick.