Slovenia hosted 47th national competition of young beekeepers
Young beekeepers impressed again – this year’s competition was marked by knowledge, dedication and exceptional prizes
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the 47th national competition of young beekeepers was held at the Davorina Jenka Elementary School in Cerklje na Gorenjskem, which was attended by approximately 570 students from all over Slovenia. The event, which promotes beekeeping knowledge and awareness of the importance of bees in nature, was held at three levels: lower, middle and upper, which are divided according to the age of the competitors. As many as 189 groups competed at the lower level, of which 23 won the gold award. At the middle level, 5 groups out of 82 groups received the gold award, while at the most demanding, higher levels, 3 groups out of 14 groups received the gold award. The winners at the higher level this year received an excellent prize – each their own apiary. One apiary was a transportable one, donated by the company Čebelnjaki.si, which has been developing modern transport units for beekeeping for many years. The company focuses on quality, adaptability and innovation, thereby supporting both beginners and experienced beekeepers. Their goal is to encourage future generations of beekeepers, which they achieved exceptionally well this year by donating a transport unit to the young winners. The second apiary was financed by our general sponsor NLB and was made by Mr. Kapš from the family business Čebelarstvo Kapš, which has a rich tradition and quality production of apiaries. Before the competition, we also presented the quality schemes in the field of honey, which are accepted at the European Union level, to the young people and their mentor. The emphasis was on protected designations of higher quality standards that ensure traceability, safety and security among Slovenian sources as part of the promotional campaign “Enjoy it’s from Europe”. To top it all off, we sent off an excellent dessert made from honey, which is included in one of the European quality schemes, which is sweet proof that quality is also delicious. This year’s competition has once again shown that young people are close to beekeeping and that with knowledge, effort and support from mentors, they achieve exceptional results. There are currently 178 beekeeping clubs in Slovenia with more than 2,000 children who learn about the life and importance of bees throughout the year. Our sincere thanks go to all the mentors for their dedicated work, sponsorship of valuable prizes, the organizational team, the Cerklje na Gorenjskem Beekeeping Association and the Davorin Jenko Elementary School, who made this celebration of knowledge, cooperation and inspiration possible. The 2025 Young Beekeepers Competition will forever be remembered as the day when knowledge, courage and the beekeeping future merged into one.
Link to the original article – CZS.si
