Caitlin takes top billing in national judges competition

CLARKES Hill farmer Caitlin Grieve has won a national competition to find the top young grain judge at the Royal Adelaide Show.

The 25-year-old was among state winners who travelled to Adelaide for the event, run by Agricultural Shows Australia and sponsored by Lawson Grains.

“I have just won the national final young judges grain section, and oh my goodness it means such a great deal,” Ms Grieve said.

“I chose to judge wheat and I didn’t think I had that much to say but it all just came to me.”

Ms Grieve, a sixth-generation farmer whose family has been working the land since the 1800s, studied agricultural science at Lincoln University in New Zealand on a leadership scholarship.

She gained hands-on experience on a sheep and beef station in Hawkes Bay.

“In 10 years time I would still like to be showing the family’s stud Dorset Horns with my sister, judging at shows around the country, and working in a field where I can combine my passion for history with my love of agriculture and sharing people’s stories,” she said.

Open to competitors aged from 15 to 25, the championships showcase the best from each state with entry earnt through success at regional and state agricultural shows.

It features competitions for young judges (beef and dairy cattle, grain, Merino sheep and fleece, meat breeds sheep, and poultry), paraders (beef and dairy cattle), the Australian Young Farmers Challenge, and the National Rural Ambassador Award.

Agricultural Shows Australia chair Jacqueline Wilson-Smith said the competition – held in a different part of Australia each year – showcased agricultural excellence, boosted the industry, and shone a light on outstanding achievements.

“These young competitors are the future of agricultural show competitions, which are so important to the growth of Australia’s food and fibre industries,” she said.

“The nationals are a fantastic opportunity for them to develop their skills, gain valuable experience, and go head-to-head with the best in the country.”

Heather Walker, 24, of Grenfell, was runner-up to Ms Grieve.

Grain judging is the newest addition to the national championships competition schedule.