Thirteen year old Elly Simms from Nowra has been sashed NSW champion dairy parader at the Sydney Royal Show, impressing judge and Manning Valley dairyman Cameron Yarnold with her handling of a six month old Jersey heifer.
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The veteran parader, who has been showing cattle since the age of six, has a connection with the Menzies family's Rivendell Dairy in that her mother Jodie works with them.
Ms Simms, who led Rivendell Cheers Tammi, a second-placed junior champion at Victoria's Dairy Week, caught the eye of Mr Yarnold who told the audience assembled under the cattle tent that the heifer's legs were always in correct placement.
"The best part of leading is working with animals," said Ms Simms.
Sadly her age prohibited her attending the national dairy parading finals, scheduled to take place at Perth Royal show in September, with 15 years the minimum required by the Royal Agricultural Society.
As a result that honour was handed to winner of the aged 15 to 17 years class, Mitchell Atkins, 16, from Kendale dairy at Tamworth who last year represented NSW in the junior dairy judging competition.
During Saturday's parading competition Mr Atkins led the two year old Jersey Shirlinn Joel Melys 2 produced by the Wilson family at Tamworth.
Other class winners included 12 year old Tyler Eagles, Ghinni Creek Ayreshires at Taree; 17 year old Jerry English from Eachamvale dairy at Malanda, Qld, leading an Illawarra and Andrew Gray, 19, from Longully Farms at Echunga, SA, leading a Mayfield Ayreshire.
Judge Cameron Yarnold said Saturday's competition was the strongest in a decade and proved the future of the dairy industry remained in good hands.
