Scott Jones is setting his sights on the future

Ten-year-old Scott Jones grew up on a pedigree Hereford and Angus farm in Creagh, Co Longford.

Son to William and Jennifer, he has one younger sister, Pippa, who is six years old.

When asked why he believes he is a rising star, he responded: “Well, in the last number of years I’ve had a lot of success in the show ring.”

Scott first got the bug for pedigree cattle breeding at the age of two, with the purchase of a pedigree Hereford heifer from JJ McKenny in Co Sligo.

“My great grandfather was a well-known Hereford breeder, so this heifer was bought in his memory and I called her Rosie,” said Scott.

Rosie was the beginning of big things for Scott. “She was out of a Hereford bull called Goulding Poll 1 Superduty. I still have her cert. I’ve shown many of her calves and won lots of prizes through the Next Gen Hereford breeders’ competition,” he says.

Next Gen programme

Scott believes he has gained a vast amount of knowledge through the Next Gen programme. “I’ve learned a lot about Hereford cattle from the workshops, especially how to groom and show them. I’m really looking forward to showing my calves this year.”

With the summer holidays now here, he has more time to spend with his beloved cattle. But the young Longford native has another great love in life; the local livestock mart. Scott’s father William is the manager in Ballymahon Mart, where Scott often lends a helping hand.

“My favourite thing to do is to go to the mart. On Wednesday, the day before the sale, I help Dad sort the lot numbers into brown envelopes and after that we print the sellers’ statements. I also help answer the phones sometimes. I like speaking to the farmers. Then on the day of the sale, I help sort and check in the animal’s cards. I like working in the office on the computers as well.”

While in the mart, Scott tries to learn from the auctioneers, as one day he hopes to be sitting up on the rostrum.

“I listen to the auctioneer a lot and when I’m at home I auction cattle and sheep in my own toy mart.

My sister Pippa is the buyer, but the only thing is she’s kind of picky; she always wants them to be quiet and docile,” he says with a smile.

Auctioneer dreams

“When I grow up, I want to be an auctioneer and a pedigree Hereford breeder. I’d love to have my own herd of Hereford cattle; I love their markings and their colours.

“I would show them at summer shows and sell the bulls at home or bring them to sales like Dad.”

Scott believes he might even get to auctioneer at pedigree Hereford sales: “You never know, I might even become the auctioneer for the Hereford Breed Society,” he says with optimism.

On the home farm, the Jones run a small flock of sheep, which also keeps Scott busy in the spring and summer months.

“Spring is a busy time of year with lambing, then in summer I like helping help dad with the shearing.”

Other interests

It’s not just farming and agriculture that Scott loves, this ambitious young man has many other interests.

“I play football, soccer, rugby and hurling. My local club is Saint Dominics GAA in Keenagh. I really like playing football, as I get to meet all my friends,” he says.

He attends the local Tashinny NS and Scott has his priorities right. “I don’t mind school,” he says.

“I know I have to learn if I’m to become an auctioneer when I grow up.”

When asked where he sees himself in five years time, he is very definitive in his answer. “At that stage, I will be 15-years-old and I’ll be in secondary school. I hope to have more Hereford cattle by that time and less of Dad’s black Aberdeen Angus cattle,” said Scott with a smile.

“I’d really love to breed a top-class Hereford bull that might go into one of the AI stations. I’d be really proud of that,” he says.

“I’m also going to keep on practicing to be an auctioneer in my bedroom and hopefully Pippa keeps helping me out.”

“I’m delighted to be one of the 15 Rising Rural Stars competition and I can’t wait for the Ploughing.

“I read the Irish Farmers Journal every week when I’m in the mart. I love looking at all the pictures, especially the pedigree cattle.

“Being in the Irish Farmers Journal might even help me become an auctioneer when I’m older, you never know,” he says.

So in a few years time, when you see Scott auctioneering at the marts, remember you saw him here first.