At its recent annual general meeting, Isle of Man Young Farmers elected its commitee for the coming year and it’s an all-female line up.

Nicci Cain, from Glendown Farm in Port Erin, is the new chairman.

Nicci works at the Buchan School, teaching children from seven to nine years old, but she finds time to help out on the farm, especially with lambing. Her father, Derek, coordinates the lambing dates to fit in with the school’s Easter break so that she can help out.

Her younger brother, Will, is also involved in Young Farmers and is a former chair of the Southern club.

Nicci says: ‘I tagged along to Young Farmers with Will when I was younger and I just did bits and pieces but it’s mainly when I came back from university that I got really involved. That’s my one regret, that I’ve come into it later on, but I’m so glad I did.’

One of the things she wants to be involved with during her time as chairman is the work that Isle of Man Young Farmers have been doing with the Manx NFU to support mental health and wellbeing in the farming community.

Nicci says: ‘We had the Yellow Wellies over for the Royal Show and they did a talk and a workshop at the NFU. And, just looking at how things are getting trickier with the increase in input prices now, mental health is something that the NFU have noticed; and, within our own club, especially as young people are taking on the farms now or starting up, it’s great to see and it’s just putting that support in place for them.’

This year’s Isle of Man Young Farmers committee in full:

Chairman Nicci Cain is a primary school teacher at the Buchan School. She enjoyed growing up on her family farm and being part of Young Farmers.

Nicci enjoys singing and playing hockey, crown green bowls and netball (for The Young Farmers’ team).

Vice chairman Emily Kelly works for NFU Mutual and has been an active member of young farmers for 15 years. She also helps on the family beef and sheep farm and in her spare time plays hockey as well as training and competing with her horse.

Secretary Bryony Kneale is an interior designer and has been in the Young Farmers since she was 10.

Farming has been in her family for generations and she enjoys spending her spare time helping her fiancé Michael with his cows and their business.

Treasurer Chloe Kelly works at Rural Industries as an accounts administrator. Her spare time is spent helping her partner Lee on his family farm. She also enjoys playing sports and has been a member Young Farmers for a few years.

Sophie Lord continues as assistant secretary with Hannah Moore and Lisa McMullin as assistant treasurers.

The Young Farmers Christmas Tractor Runs 2022

One of Nicci’s first duties will be taking part in the Christmas Tractor Run events, which begin on December 1, and she paid tribute to outgoing chairman Will Duggan for whom last year’s Tractor Runs proved to be rather dramatic, to say the least.

His wife Robyn gave birth to twins on the day of the first run, a little earlier than expected, and Will had to miss taking the honour of leading off the first Tractor Run on the Friday evening. Like a true hero, though, he was there the following night to lead the parade

‘He and Robyn have been amazing this year: they’ve just cracked on,’ says Nicci.

She adds that she is unlikely to be driving the lead tractor herself this year: ‘My tractor skills are not the greatest, though many have tried to teach me,’ she says.

Nicci will be getting some of her pupils involved with the Tractor Run.

She says: ‘The last few years have been really lucky because Tom Corlett from Lhergy Dhoo Farm has lent us their tractor to decorate and the kids from school have made things to go on it Then he’s driven it for us and I’ve sat on or then gone round and helped to collect the money.’

The runs seem to get bigger and more spectacular each year and Nicci says of those who take part: ‘They’re amazing. The time and expense it takes to put all the lights on, and the way they seem to add extra bits each year – there’s so much time goes into it and it’s so lovely to see that it’s become something that people have now got in their calendar. It’s part of their Christmas tradition.’

This year, the fun kicks off with the ‘junior’ Tractor Run in Strand Street on Thursday, December 1, at 6pm.

It will have an extra attraction which began last year when some of the Young Farmer families brought their children along and they went up and down Strand Street on their pedal tractors. This went down so well that they will be doing it again this year. Then it’s on to the South Run on Friday, December 2, which sees the tractors gathering at Port Erin breakwater at 5pm, then setting off at around 6.25pm, through Colby and Ballabeg and on to Castletown Square for 7pm.

Then it’s on through Ballasalla and up the Ballamodha to Foxdale and St John’s before heading to Douglas and the Grandstand via Crosby and Union Mills.

The second Tractor Run on Saturday, December 3, starts at 4pm with the tractors gathering on Marine Parade, Peel Promenade. They set off at 5.40pm, following the coast road to Kirk Michael and should be driving through the village around 6pm. Then they go up the TT course to Ramsey, arriving in Market Square at 6.50pm and leaving at around 7.30pm to head down the coast road, through Laxey and Onchan and finish once again at the Grandstand.

This year’s runs will be raising money for Arlo’s Adventure and Live at Home.