Youth in Agriculture leading the way at 2024 Melbourne Royal Show
28 Oct 2024 / Agriculture, Melbourne Royal Show
2024 National Grains Young Judges winner, Emily Taylor (NSW)
The ASA (Agricultural Shows Australia) Young Judges Championships host nine categories for judging and parading each year under the ASA national competition program: beef cattle, dairy cattle, alpaca, poultry, Merino sheep, meat breed sheep, and Merino fleece judging, as well as parading competitions in beef and dairy cattle.
Melbourne Royal Show Young Judges and Paraders Winners 2024
The 2024 Melbourne Royal Show saw the highly anticipated ASA Young Judges and Paraders Championships, where top young talent in the agricultural industry came together to compete.
The Young Beef Paraders competition saw Olivia Delaforce (21) from Mt Beppo, Queensland, take the top spot. Olivia assists in running her family's Santa Gertrudis Stud and works at a large-scale Speckle Park Stud in Oberon, NSW.
Parading cattle since she was around eight years old, Olivia's experience and passion for the industry shone through her performance. Olivia was also crowned runner-up in the grains young judging competition earlier today.
The Beef Young Judges competition, sponsored by Cattle Australia, crowned Mitchell Taylor, an 18-year-old from Quipolly, NSW, with the top prize. Mitchell, who is currently in his final year of school, has grown up around cattle and operates his own Poll Hereford and Shorthorn Stud. He has an impressive track record, having won numerous state-level competitions. It seems that success in agriculture runs in the family, as his sister, Emily Taylor, also achieved recognition by winning the national grains young judging competition.
National ASA Grains Young Judges Championship
Winner: Emily Taylor (NSW)
Runner Up: Olivia Delaforce (QLD)
Third: Emily Chambers
National ASA Beef Paraders Championship
Winner: Olivia Delaforce (QLD)
Runner Up: Zoe Skinner (WA)
Third: Jack Febey (TAS)
National ASA Beef Young Judges Championship
Winner: Mitchell Taylor (NSW)
Runner Up: Indiana Smith (WA)
Third: Candina Crowden (TAS)
ASA Nationals Youth Sheep & Fleece Judging Winners
The top youth judges from across Australia competed for class honours in the ASA National Merino Fleece Judging Championship, ASA National Meet Breed Sheep Judging Championship and ASA National Merino Sheep Judging Championship.
ASA Merino Fleece Young Judge Competition winner: Brendan Lamont, Kojonup WA – a passionate judge with first-hand experience.
ASA Meat Breeds Sheep Young Judge Competition winner: Christine Sutton, Cobargo NSW – Christine is not only a first-time competitor, but the youngest competitor in this year’s competition.
ASA Merino Sheep Young Judge Competition winner: Bateson Pittman, Walcha NSW – a talented sixth generation farmer.