South Australia's Lucy Newman topped the competition in the 2024 National Dairy Cattle Young Paraders Championship at the Royal Melbourne Show.
Lucy, 21, from Prospect Hill, was one of a group of elite paraders aged between 15 and 25 who qualified through regional and state events.
After showcasing their expertise in preparing, presenting and parading their animals, Lucy was awarded the top honour, solidifying her place among the best young talent in Australian agriculture.
Lucy is no stranger to the parading ring, having already won a number of titles this year including the reserve senior champion at International Dairy Week and the champion senior handler at the Royal Adelaide Show.
At this year’s Melbourne Royal Show, Lucy competed in both the dairy and beef cattle paraders finals.
“I have always adored handlers competitions and feel lucky to be representing South Australia for both the beef and dairy cattle in the 2024 national paraders competition. It’s truly a bucket list moment,” Lucy said.
Lucy runs her own Ayrshire stud, Arabesque Ayrshires, and credits much of her success to the mentorship of her father and the hands-on experience gained from working on her family’s beef and dairy farm in Meadows, South Australia.
She is also heavily involved in her family’s Angus stud, Newlyn Park Angus, where she manages social media and marketing efforts for its annual bull sales.
Lucy competed alongside five other state champions, who all demonstrated clear technical abilities and a passion and dedication to the dairy industry.
In second place, representing Victoria, was 17-year-old Sienna Ross, who hails from a family dairy farm in Katamatite, northern Victoria.
Third place was awarded to NSW representative Alexis Allen, 15, from Cobargo, near Bega.
Rachel English, 23, from Malanda, Queensland, Edward Dudfield, 16, from Somerset, Tasmania, and and Murray Findlay, 21, from Albany, Western Australia, also contended for the lead position.
Agricultural Shows Australia executive officer Katie Stanley highlighted the significance of the young dairy cattle paraders event.
“These young paraders are the future of agricultural competitions, which play a critical role in improving Australia’s food and fibre sectors,” she said.
“The National Dairy Cattle Paraders Championship is an invaluable opportunity for these young people to showcase and refine their skills.
“I extend my congratulations to Lucy Newman for the hard work and commitment that has brought her to this prestigious level, and I look forward to seeing all that she will accomplish in the future.”
The competition is part of ASA’s national competition program, which encompasses nine categories, including 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.