‘Australia’s sharpest cattle judge’: WA college of Agriculture Harvey student Sam Cox returns with top spot

A Harvey young gun with a “mild” obsession for cattle has staked her claim as the nation’s best young cattle judge after wowing those watching at the Sydney Easter Royal Show. Given the national title of “Australia’s sharpest cattle judge”, WA College of Agriculture — Harvey student Sam Cox flew back from NSW with the top prize in the Young Dairy Cattle Judges competition and a cheek-to-cheek grin. Humbled by her podium position, Sam said she had “cut herself out” after thinking she had performed poorly but to her surprise was called up to accept her win. “When they called out my name I didn’t quite register it, I just started clapping,” she said. “I’m still in shock, I honestly, completely didn’t expect it.” Attended by nearly million people the Sydney Royal Easter Show — which took place between April 8 and 19 this year — is run by the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales and has been a major player in Australian agricultural shows for 200 years. The Year 12 student from Stratham has focused her studies on dairy and beef at the WA College of Agriculture and last year qualified for the State finals in meat sheep at the Perth Royal Show after beating five other competitors. Sydney’s last show event, the Agricultural Shows Australia’s contest, pitted the best young judges and cattle paraders from around the country against one another. Sam, who has been a part of agricultural shows since a young age, said she has learnt most of what she knows from watching other professionals in the field. “Generally my first look would be the overall capacity, so the depth and the width throughout, but you can gauge pretty quickly if there’s any obvious imperfections,” she said. “I then tend to go through feet, stand behind them and check that they carry that width throughout, check the way they track and go through all the different points.” Growing up on a small acreage in Stratham, which Sam said instigated her “mild” obsession with cattle, the 17-year-old is still in the midst of her studies and said she is unsure where her agriculture certificate would take her. “We’ve always had a few cows at home and I used to help out on a dairy farm in the calf shed and then that became showing cattle and then that became judging cattle,” she said. “I’ve just always loved the bond you can have with cattle.” Travelling to the Eastern States was a near-new experience for Sam, however she said she prefers her life in WA, labelling the experience fun but the sheer amount of people intimidating. “I’m not much of a city person, it was good but I do love it here (in the South West),” she said. “I’d be interested in looking at more of the dairy and cattle industry over there, but not the city.” A number of other young WA competitors also made the agricultural podium with well-known Boyup Brook Venturon Livestock owner Harris Thompson claiming the grand and senior champion prizes in the Charloais cattle section and WA’s four-person team placing second in the Australian Young Farmer Challenge. Ms Cox said she was proud to see young WA farmers do so well and that agriculture shows are an important asset to Australia. “I think, particularly for the youth, (agriculture shows) are where a lot of them first become interested and first start out,” she said. “They are a way of showing other people who aren’t interested in agriculture some element of it.”