Myerscough agricultural engineering students shortlisted in Cumbria Farmer Awards

Henry Bowman and Jack Sibbald have been named as finalists in the Agricultural Student/Rural Skills Award category, with the winners announced in a ceremony in August.

Both Henry and Jack are currently on a Level 3 study programme in Agricultural Engineering.

Now in its sixth year the Cumbria Farmer Awards has been shining a light on the best in Cumbria Farming.

The awards are organised by Newsquest Cumbria and partnered for the fourth year running by Cumbrian Accountants David Allen.

This year the nominations were judged by a panel of respected industry experts and specialists from a wide spectrum of backgrounds.

Henry Bowman

Henry Bowman is deeply immersed in the sector and comes from a strong farming background, with the family farm spanning 120 acres at Lime Kiln Nook Farm at Sebergham, Carlisle.

Henry’s role at the family farm covers a broad spectrum of duties including looking after the lambs sheep, calves cows, calf rearing, animal husbandry, maintenance, and tractor work.

As part of his course requirement Henry has completed an extended work experience placement of 400 hours at Mathers Dairy Utensils in Carlisle. The placement has given Henry opportunities to work across Cumbria, Scotland and Northumberland, using the skillset he has acquired on the family farm and during his course.

In fact, the placement was so successful that he has been offered a permanent full time position within the company, which he will take up once he completes his study programme. This is a remarkable achievement for Henry, given his young age.

In addition to all this, Henry still finds time to work at RC Mitchell & Son, completing farm work such as milking, calf rearing, lambing and further tractor work.

Both before and during his Myerscough studies, Henry was keen to spread his wings further, and over the last two summers he took it upon himself to find experiences outside of Cumbria, to gain further understanding of agriculture methods and the sector’s landscape outside of the county. He secured a ten week placement at a farm in Northamptonshire, operating machinery and information gathering for his own family farm.

If all that didn’t keep him busy enough, Henry is a skilled rugby player, and has been a member of Penrith Rugby Club for a number of years, and in the last year has represented Cumbria against Yorkshire.

He also uses his physical attributes as a wrestler – and last year represented England internationally for Cumbrian Wrestling in France.

Henry’s skills aren’t just physical either. He has been a member of Raughton Head Young Farmers since age 11, and enjoys competing at both district and national level, debating against other young farmer groups as part of the Brain’s Trust.

In conclusion, Henry is a high driven and motivated individual, keen to make his mark in the sector that he loves. Once completing his Myerscough course, his ambition is to progress at work with Mathers, and undertake further study with them, which could involve going down a Higher Apprenticeship or possibly degree level study route.

Jack Sibbald

Jack Sibbald is currently studying while working in the family business, Alex Sibbald Ltd, undertaking a wide range of agricultural and forestry contract work. The business is based at Seascale and Jack has been involved in the business from a young age.

Jack’s desire to make a difference in the sector is commendable.  As a course requirement for his qualification with Myerscough, Jack has recently undertaken an extended work experience placement of 400 hours at Mill Garage and Garden Machinery based at Seascale, repairing and maintaining equipment for local farms.

His diverse experiences in the industry have cemented his love of the agriculture and influenced his career pathway into agricultural engineering, but his busy life doesn’t stop there.

He’s been a member of Drigg Young Farmers for eight years and has been involved in all aspects, from stock judging to the arts. Recently Jack has organised the annual Clay Pigeon Shoot and is also chief organiser for their upcoming Dinner Dance, broadening his administration and people skills.

Public speaking is another area of particular interest, and Jack has progressed from club level to twice competing at national finals.  Another highlight was placing fifth for the national pantomime competition alongside other members of the club last year.

Charity work is something that Jack is passionate about.  He has been involved in organising and taking part in the ‘Welly the Heli’ challenge, which involved pushing a replica Great North Air Ambulance helicopter 77 miles over two days. A tough challenge that raised over £100,000 for the charity.

Prior to becoming a residential student at Myerscough College, Jack was heavily involved in rugby league, and played for Millom. He was selected for a range of Cumbrian development squads including Barrow Boys, South Cumbria and Furness Raiders. Rugby taught Jack the importance of teamwork, commitment and self discipline - qualities he feels are important in everyday life.

Looking forward, Jack would like to gain experience working abroad on larger farms with different machinery and gain more in-depth knowledge of forestry work.  A long-term career in the agriculture industry is the ultimate end goal.

Winners will be celebrated in a glittering awards ceremony at Carlisle Racecourse on Friday, August 14, when the host for 2026 is Adam Day, Managing Director of The Farmer Network, a not-for-profit organisation that supports the farming communities of Cumbria, the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland.

Adam said: “I have been involved in the Cumbria Farmer Awards for several years as a judge. This is a fantastic showcase event for the best of Cumbrian farming, and I am delighted and honoured to be invited to host it again this year.

 “It will be a lot of fun.”

David Allen, Partner at David Allen Chartered Accountants, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Newsquest for what will be the largest Cumbria Farmer Awards to date, while also marking 25 years of the Farmer supplement in The Cumberland News.

“As long-standing advisers to the agricultural sector, David Allen Chartered Accountants is proud to sponsor this event that celebrates the people and businesses at the heart of our rural communities.

‘’Over the past quarter of a century, farming has undergone significant change, from advances in technology and diversification to operating within an increasingly complex economic and regulatory landscape.’’

We wish Henry and Jack the very best of luck in the awards and or the rest of their careers.