The biennial Harper Adams in Ireland dinner for students present and past was hosted by the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on Saturday evening.

Members of the Association travelled from all over Ireland and included a number of prospective students who will be enrolling on courses at Harper Adams University in Shropshire for the first time next week.

Up to 150 guests dinned on specially procured ingredients from leading food companies who have a link with the university. These included local companies, Kettyle Irish Foods, Lisnaskea who supplied the Canapes of mini roast beef, or mini port fillet; Silverhill Foods, Emyvale who supplied the Confit of Duck Leg, Keenan Seafoods for prawn and crayfish salad, Foyle Meats for Aberdeen Angus beef, Durnien’s Fruit and Vegetables for fresh market vegetables and Fivemiletown Creamery for the selection of cheeses.

Fermanagh District Council provided a wine reception and was represented at the dinner by Chairman, Councillor Bert Johnston and his wife, Olive.

The guest speaker, Mr. Andrew Watson, Business Director UK and Ireland with New Holland, spoke on the theme of “Maximising the future growth of our industry – it’s a people thing.” He said it was a case that business is about people, personalities and how they apply themselves to their chosen disciplines.

He outlined his own career which began as a management accountant with Fiat Agri in 1987 after working in other business sectors for 10 years. He became hooked on the agricultural business and has since moved into a senior position with New Holland.

“It’s the commitment of your life to the company and work ethic that makes the difference and this may require some sacrifices. But you may find that if your work is enjoyable, and even becomes your hobby, then it does not seem like hard work at all,” he said.

He highlighted the major milestone of New Holland’s tractor assembly plant at Basildon which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and referred to the major developments in machine manufacturing ove rhte decades asking what is the next technical step.

He said Professor Simon Blackthorn had done some great work with driverless machines, really expressing a future vision, while they will also see more coverage of the development and progression of driverless vehicles for the road. “It’s a very interesting concept, but frankly scares me to death,” he told the audience. “So we are now touching on personal choices and how we consider our leisure. As we are protected in our environments, we seem to look for the risks. These may be in the form of sky diving, mountain climbing and biking, racing of some description or even free-running, where people jump over buildings and so forth.” He said that in New Holland they looked for talented people who may develop to be part of the senior management of the future, and those people may take very senior positions, even in their 30’s, as they recognise their true capability if the person applies themself. The company offers placements for 30 interns with around 50% of them eventually being offered full-time positions. “This is very exciting,” he said.. “Having taken a high calibre intern into the company, our job is to develop them with specific knowledge, a work ethic, business approach and, of course, experience. The hungriest of them make great strides in their careers. “One of our Intern programmes has been to apply top quality people to three different business units with three different business disciplines in three different markets. Each of the assignments would last 18 months. For example, 18 months in Basildon in the tractor manufacturing environment, followed by 18 months in Madrid with construction equipment and a marketing experience, then 18 months in Germany in the truck sales environment. Following such an intensive programme, the survivors became World Class business leaders.

At the end, it is down to the individual. The opportunities for those that commit and deliver are sky high.” At the dinner the 2014 Victor Truesdale Prize was awarded to Cormac Flaherty from Co. Meath. He graduated with a BEng(Hons) in Agricultural Engineering.

The award is a specillay commissioned engraved crystal punch bowl and a substantial cheque presented by the sponsors, feed compounder, John Thompson & Sons, Belfast. The award is the premier award made annually to a graduate from Ireland at Harper Adams University and on Saturday evening was presented by Mrs Ann Truesdale.

A number of local students who will enrol at the University next week, attended with their parents.

Presiding at the event was the Association Chairman, Mr. Joe Lawson, who announced he was stepping down from the post.

Also attending was the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Dr. David Llewellyn and immediate past principal, Professor Wynne Jones.