The best young dairy cattle judges in Australia have been announced by Agricultural Shows Australia and will compete in the national finals in September.
The 2025 national championships is being hosted by the SA Country Shows at the Royal Adelaide Show from September 1 to 6 and includes paraders (beef and dairy cattle), young judges (beef and dairy cattle, grain, Merino sheep and fleece, meat breeds sheep and poultry), Australian Young Farmers Challenge and National Rural Ambassador Award.
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The national championships brings together the best of the best in rural talent, community spirit and industry excellence. Young judges and paraders aged from 15 to 25 in each state will gather to compete in the annual competition.
Qualification is via success in competitive regional and state competitions, with the national championships held in a different location each year.
The prestigious competition highlights the reach and rewards of agricultural shows, from connecting communities to driving growth and celebrating success.
Meet the finalists
Meet the six finalists in the Vytelle Dairy Cattle Judging National Championships:
NSW: Rhylan Russell, 18, Bega
Rhylan Russell’s family has been involved in dairy agriculture for more than five generations, milking Guernsey and Holstein cows.
Having completed his certificate 3 in dairy farming, Rhylan is a full-time dairy farmer — and he's on a mission to make three very special people proud when he takes to the ring in Adelaide.
“It’s awesome to see the youth of the industry getting involved and passionate about showing, not just dairy farming in general,” Rhylan said.
“Winning the state final at Sydney Royal Easter Show this year was definitely an awesome moment. But honestly, the best part of any show for me is just hanging out with the family, doing something we all love. Nothing beats those moments. That’s what really sticks with you.
“I want to thank my mum and dad for where I am today in this industry. They’ve been a huge supporter and encouragement of mine, but the main person I want to and need to thank is my pop, Brian Russell. He’s the main reason I have the passion for this industry that I do and I hope that I make him proud.”
WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Grace Henderson, 18, Esperance
Grace began showing cattle at the ripe age of five, marching into the ring with a heifer named Jewel Candy.
The 18-year-old works at the Shade River Dairy farm in Mardella, milking about 300 Holstein-Friesians.
Grace is working towards a certificate 4 in dairy productions and a full qualification in artificial insemination to fulfil her goal of establishing her own business.
“I made a lot of friends and memories at these shows and would often place well in my parader competitions, usually going through to our state finals,” she said..
“I am excited for this year’s Perth Royal as I also qualified for the beef state junior judging competition and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to learn something new from not just that experience but also from my experience at the Adelaide Royal national finals.
“Down the track, I’d like to give back to the younger generation by being an active member of the WA Youth Cattle Handlers Camp, so that others can learn about the cattle industry no matter their background.”
VICTORIA: Luke Gardiner, 20, Nar Nar Goon
Luke is studying agriculture at Melbourne University and has grown up on a stud dairy farm, where his interest in breeding and showing cattle began.
He developed a strong interest in judging, inspired by his dad, John Gardiner, who Luke says taught him everything he knows about judging and dairy cattle.
A standout show moment for Luke came at the 2025 International Dairy Week, where he part-owned the supreme intermediate and grand champion in the Holstein Show, View Fort Lambda Butter.
He purchased a half share in her after last year’s show, making the win especially rewarding.
“I competed in Young Judges once two years ago where I came third and this year was my second time competing,” he said.
“I started competing because I love judging and aspire to judge major shows across Australia and the world.”
QUEENSLAND: Zoe O’Neill, 23, Nambour
Zoe began showing cattle at 12 years old, getting her start through her local high school before going on to represent several local farms in the show ring.
By 15, she had already started a traineeship in agriculture and later went on to complete an apprenticeship as a heavy diesel mechanic, all while continuing to work on farms.
For Zoe, nothing beats the atmosphere and community spirit of the Maleny Show.
TASMANIA: William Dudfield, 22, Somerset
Will has been part of the show ring since he was three years old and joined paraders competitions at just nine.
Growing up on a dairy farm sparked his love for cattle, and even though he now works in civil construction, showing remains a big part of his life.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Chris Thompson, 19, Urrbrae
Chris grew up on a small family property, started showing dairy cattle through school and soon developed an interest that led him to establish his own Holstein and Jersey stud.
Throughout high school, Chris gained hands-on experience working on farms. Now in his first year at Adelaide University, he continues to show cattle at most South Australian events and some in Victoria.
His involvement in Young Judges began at smaller country shows and quickly progressed. He placed third at Adelaide Show one year and took out the top spot the next.
Jacqueline (Jac) Wilson-Smith, Chair of Agricultural Shows Australia, the peak body representing 572 agricultural shows that attract six million visitors annually and contribute nearly $1 billion to the national economy, described the competition as a celebration of emerging talent in livestock judging across the country.
“This is an incredibly prestigious event and earning a spot in the nationals is highly sought after,” Jac said.
“These young competitors represent the future of agricultural show competitions, which play a vital role in advancing Australia’s food and fibre industries. The nationals offer an exciting chance for participants to grow both personally and professionally while testing their skills against the very best.”
The dairy cattle judging final is sponsored by Vytelle, a precision livestock company reshaping how cattle producers worldwide optimise their herds.
Vytelle's Australia/New Zealand regional director Andrew Donoghue said the company was proud to support the event.
"Vytelle is focused on the future of beef and dairy sustainability and we’re helping producers make faster, more accurate genetic progress,“ he said.
“These young competitors represent the future of our industry — curious, capable and committed to driving innovation in the dairy sector.
The dairy cattle judging final will be held at 4.30pm on Wednesday, September 3.