The event, which is run by college staff to help students develop their husbandry skills, will be held at the campus and comprise dairy, pigs, sheep, beef and equine classes.

The event will also provide an opportunity for parents and families who go along, to see the progress on the college’s £25 million redevelopment scheme.

Agriculture lecturer Helen Martin, who is organising the event, said: “The whole point of the college stockmanship competition is to enable students to see what it’s like to prepare for a large show. They can practise their grooming and clipping skills and also make sure their animal’s diet is adequate to provide optimum condition on the day.

“As far as we are aware there are no other college stockmanship competitions in the UK and we are extremely proud to be passing these skills on to the farmers of the future.”

Students in the competition are allocated an animal to care for six weeks before the competition, in which time they are responsible for its welfare and have the animal to train to walk on a halter.

The event culminates with a prizegiving ceremony and the crowning of the Bishop Burton Stockman of the Year 2008.

College principal Jeanette Dawson said: “I think that in a climate where people do question the quality of food, our students need to know that they will be expected to keep their livestock to an extremely high standard and this competition is an excellent way of introducing these skills.”