[MEDIA RELEASE] South Australia's Lucy Newman scrapes the cream in 2024 National Dairy Cattle Young Paraders Championship

Australia's finest young dairy cattle paraders have demonstrated their performance skills at the 2024 National Dairy Cattle Young Paraders Championship, held at this morning during the Melbourne Royal Show. 

The Agricultural Shows Australia (ASA) competition brought together elite paraders from across the country, all aged between 15 and 25, who had qualified through regional and state events.

After showcasing their expertise in preparing, presenting and parading their animals, 21 year-old Lucy Newman from Prospect Hill, South Australia, 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, Lucy is competing 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," said Lucy. 

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. Lucy is also heavily involved in her family's Angus stud, Newlyn Park Angus, where she manages social media and marketing efforts for their 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 the small town of Katamatite in northern Victoria. 

Third place was awarded to 15-year-old New South Wales representative Alexis Allen, hailing from her family's dairy farm at Cobargo, near Bega. 

23-year-old Rachel English from Malanda, Queensland, 16-year-old Edward Dudfield from Somerset, Tasmania and and 21 year-old Murray Findlay from Albany, Western Australia, also contended for the lead position.

Katie Stanley, Executive Officer of Agricultural Shows Australia, 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. 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," said Ms Stanley. 

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. 

For more details on the competition, visit: https://agshowsaustralia.org.au/youth-in-agriculture/national-championships/

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