Nine young agricultural judges and paraders from New South Wales will be vying for national honours at the Ekka next month.

The 2026 Agricultural Shows Australia's National Young Judges and Paraders Championships will run from 6-10 August 2026 at the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka). 

Meet the NSW finalists

Isabella Pearce, 18, Spring Creek | Beef Cattle Paraders | Sponsored by Vytelle, Cattle Australia, and The Cattle Shop

Raised on her family's farm near Orange, Isabella Pearce is a first year agriculture student at University of New England, Armidale and has spent four years competing in the cattle section at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, where she won Grand Champion Parader.

"Agricultural shows are important to me because of the strong sense of community they create," Isabella said. "They've helped build my confidence, skills and lifelong connections within the cattle industry."

Isabella hopes to build a career in the livestock industry and give back to the youth programs and agricultural shows that have shaped her interests.

Jocelyn Cafe, 16, Rylstone | Merino Fleece Young Judges | Sponsored by Australian Wool Innovation and National Council of Wool Selling Brokers

Jocelyn Cafe is a Year 11 student at Kandos High School, the fourth generation of her family to live in Rylstone in the Central West, and a part-time employee at Cudgegong Valley Veterinary Services.

Her proudest agricultural show moment is winning the Merino Fleece Young Judges competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and receiving the prestigious Rob Talbot Award, an honour reserved for only a small number of state champions across Merino fleece, Merino sheep and meat sheep young judges. 

"I have gained lots of knowledge from the people I have met at local shows and the Sydney Royal Easter Show and  I have mentors now, new friends and lifelong mates," Jocelyn said. 

Jocelyn plans to study veterinary science at Charles Sturt University and thanked her grandparents, school teachers, and her employer for encouraging her dreams. 

Bryson Lee, 17, Maclean | Poultry Young Judges

Bryson Lee has been raised around chooks since day one. He's a fourth generation poultry enthusiast and his grandfather and father have shared everything they know with him. Bryson's been the Sydney Royal Poultry Young Judges champion for two years running. 

"I've had so much support from my family and local poultry breeders, and that's what inspired me to keep competing," Bryson said. "I want to help the next generation coming through and support them in the future."

Bryson works at home on the farm, at the local supermarket, and wants to become a full-time agricultural teacher while continuing to breed and show poultry on his own property.

Molly Klasen, 17, Tamworth | Dairy Cattle Young Judges

Inspired by her dairy farming grandparents, Molly Klasen began competing in dairy judging through school and has since built an impressive resume in both dairy and beef cattle. At just 14, she started her own Hereford stud, buying her first heifers with her own money before expanding into crossing dairy and Angus cattle.

Now in Year 11, Molly is busy with two part-time jobs at Browns Dairy, and local fruit shop, Paradise Farm Markets. She won the Dairy Cattle Young Judges at the Sydney Royal Easter Show after steadily improving over three years.

"I really enjoy dairy judging because it's so technical and rewarding," Molly said. "Winning at Sydney this year was such an exciting moment after all the hard work and support from my family, teachers and the dairy industry."

Alexis Allen, 17, Cobargo | Dairy Cattle Paraders

Alexis Allen works full-time on the family dairy farm while completing a Certificate III in Dairy Production. 

Alexis has her dad, Rocky Allen, to thank for introducing her to the show ring and the two have travelled to agricultural shows all around Australia. 

"Showing cows is one of my biggest passions," Alexis said. "The best part of shows is catching up with people you only get to see a few times a year and being part of the ag community."

Brendan Mitchell, 18, Bathurst | Meat Sheep Breeds Young Judges

Despite not growing up on a farming property, Brendan Mitchell has built his own Suffolk stud, Belvedere Park Suffolk Stud, from just three sheep at age 12 to around 130 today.

Alongside completing Year 12 at St Stanislaus College, and studies in agriculture, Brendan works at Town & Country Rural Supplies Bathurst, all while competing at shows across NSW and Victoria. 

"Agricultural shows have become my classroom," Brendan said. "I've learned so much from breeders, mentors and young judges competitions, and winning the NSW Final was one of the proudest moments of my life."

Brendan has his sights set on a plumbing apprenticeship, getting his stock and station licence, and hopes to own his own land. 

Angus Knox, 20, Conargo | Merino Sheep Young Judges | Sponsored by Australian Wool Innovation and National Council of Wool Selling Brokers

Growing up on his family's farm near Conargo, Angus developed an interest in livestock through working with Merino sheep and Angus cattle. He began jackarooing with Wanganella and Poll Boonoke Merino Stud after leaving school and got into Merino sheep shows and junior judging competitions.

Angus is an overseer at Burrabogie for Australian Food & Agriculture and has competed at major sheep shows across Australia, including Adelaide, Bendigo and Dubbo. 

Matilda Cronin, 18, Narromine | Beef Cattle Young Judges | Sponsored by Vytelle and The Cattle Shop.

Matilda Cronin works at Clonal Forestry and studies Animal Care at TAFE, with plans to become a veterinary nurse in the future. S

Matilda won the Sydney Royal NSW Young Judges Competition in her first attempt, a major highlight in her young judging career. She has also competed at events like the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza in Scone.

"Winning at Sydney Royal was a shock and a really proud moment," Matilda said. "I've learned so much from the people around me and the competitions I've done."

Zach Charlton, 17, Marrar | Grains Young Judges | Sponsored by Lawson Grains

Zach Charlton started showing cattle with his school team three years ago and today he's the school agricultural captain. 

He runs his own cattle stud while still helping with cropping on the family farm, and studying agriculture, metal and woodwork at school. Zach is looking forward to running his own farm one day, complete with a cattle stud.

Zach has judged at the Sydney Royal Easter Show for the past two years and counts his win in the Grains Young Judges, and his first royal ribbon for cattle as his show highlights.  

The prestigious competition series includes paraders of beef and dairy cattle, young judges of beef and dairy cattle, grain, Merino sheep and fleece, meat breeds sheep, and poultry, the Australian Young Farmers Challenge, and National Rural Ambassador Award.

Qualification is via success in competitive regional and state competitions. The national championships are held in a different location each year. This year's championships are hosted by Queensland Ag Shows. 

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Sponsors: 

• Beef Cattle Young Judges: Vytelle; The Cattle Shop
• Beef Cattle Young Paraders: Vytelle; Cattle Australia; The Cattle Shop
• Merino Sheep Young Judges: Australian Wool Innovation; National Council of Wool Selling Brokers
• Merino Fleece Young Judges: Australian Wool Innovation; National Council of Wool Selling Brokers
• Grains Young Judges: Lawson Grains

Media contact: Katie Stanley, Executive Officer, Agricultural Shows Australia, execofficer@agshowsaustralia.org.au | 0402 127 001