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Did you know Agricultural Shows Australia is celebrating 20 years of the National Rural Ambassador Award? To celebrate, we've been catching up with the 19 individuals who have held the prestigious title since 2001. Find out where the talented winners are today.
HARRIS THOMPSON - 2019
Harris is still happily working alongside his parents on the family farm and growing the farming business. Harris took the National Rural Ambassador title in 2019 and - thanks to Covid-19 - held the title for double the usual tenure. He’s also the vice president of the Upper Blackwood Agricultural Society
SOPHIE LAY CROOKE - 2018
Sophie runs beef cattle with husband Andrew on the 300 acre property they purchased in Seaview, Victoria. She works as a technician at the Agriculture Victoria research farm in Ellinbank. Their one year old daughter is right beside them as they train and compete with Sophie’s warmblood horses in showjumping.
JUSTIN MATTHEWS - 2017
These days Justin is based in Armidale, NSW and works for CSIRO as a technical services officer in the Farm Operation Division of the Chiswick Research Station. He's still a keen photographer and lover of all things fireworks and has worked behind the scenes at The Ekka as a technician covering sound, lighting and show management.
JEREMY SCHUTZ - 2016
Jeremy lives in Pinnaroo, SA and he and wife Elise are at the helm of the family farm, having taken over from Jeremy’s parents. They’re also busy parents to Harper, 3, and Jed, 1. Jeremy’s been involved with the local show for 17 years, was president for five years, and is still on the committee today.
SAMUEL MARTIN - 2015
Samuel and wife Jodie live in Walcha with their three children. They run more than 200 stud cattle after purchasing Southcote Shorthorns from South Australia in 2017. Samuel is also the vice president of Shorthorn Beef as well as the Technical Director on the board.
COURTNEY RAMSEY - 2014
These days Courtney is a Grower Relations Manager - South for the Grains Research and Development Corporation, based at Horsham, Victoria. She moved to Horsham two years ago, having previously lived in the Riverland of SA where she was working for a State MP as a Research Office and Executive Assistant.
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PRUE MCCORMACK (nee CAPP) - 2013
Prue is a veterinarian for both large and small animals in Gresford, and is married with two children, and she’s still very much involved in shows.
“Never would I believe how far agricultural shows have taken me: from the little old Gresford Show to around the world. What was and is something I loved doing with my parents and siblings, now my husband and I do with our kids,” Prue says.
TIM VAN DER MOLAN - 2012
Tim’s achieved his goal of farm ownership by age 30 (with a month to spare) and in 2013 won the New Zealand Young Farmer of the Year title. He’s the Member of Parliament for Waikato and represents one of the key agricultural regions in NZ. He and wife Hilary are raising Isobella (5) and Arthur (3), managing their farm which they converted from dairy grazers and maize to asparagus in 2014, and another block they bought in 2015 where they grow maize and grass for dairy farmers.
WADE TIMMS - 2011
Wade lives in Mudgee, NSW and manages a 4000ha 32000 DSE cattle operation. He’s the father of two young children but still makes time to fit in a regular cricket match. In 2012 Wade travelled to South Africa for the World Congress and said the program has seen countless opportunities come his way.
CARLA TIERNEY - 2010
Carla is a new mum and enjoying maternity leave with her son, James. She lives in Oakey, QLD and has just celebrated 17 years at the helm of her dance studio. The Rural Ambassador program allowed her to travel to Scotland twice - once for the RASC Conference and then again the following year to volunteer for the Royal Highland Show.
BRUCE MCCONNEL - 2009
Bruce McConnel is still just as active in the agricultural sector as he was in 2009. The Toowoomba resident is the proud father of three boys aged 11, nine and seven, and still plays rugby and cricket, just a little more sedately.
Bruce is the General Manager of TSBE Food Leaders Australia, and the vice-president of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland.
TIM ROBINSON - 2008
With three young children under five, his role as branch manager for Nutrien Livestock business in Albury and the day to day managing of the family’s 100 acre property, Tim Robinson admits he’s pretty ‘flat out’ these days. Fortunately, he’s never too busy to keep in touch with the many friends and business contacts he made during his time as the 2008 rural ambassador and makes it a priority to help others achieve their professional and personal goals.
REBECCA SMITH - 2007
Rebecca Smith won the national Rural Ambassador Award in 2007 as a self-employed, newly engaged woman. Today, she’s still running her own show and has three little helpers by her side. Her business House Paddock Training and Consulting helps farming businesses improve their WHS and HR and business owners improve their planning and efficiency.
GILES OSTER - 2006
The fourth generation Mallee farmer is the proud father to three girls aged five to 10 and married the ‘girl of his dreams’. Together they run the family farm with his parents, brother and extended family. Giles is heavily involved in the Pinnaroo community and is extremely passionate about agricultural shows in general.
CHRIS BADCOCK - 2005
Chiris has spent the past 12 years in agribusiness working as a rural manager for Rabobank based out of Launceston, Tasmania. Last year he took on the role of managing the family property in northern Tasmania where he lives with his wife and three children. He sits on various breed society boards and on the sheep connect producer advisory panel.
BEN DRYNAN - 2004
Ben’s a father of two, Charlotte and Harrison, and is still involved with the beef industry. He operates Gallanani Grazing Pty Ltd based at Esk in the Brisbane Valley. The family-owned business specialises in breeding market-relevant commercial and seedstock cattle and focuses on adoption and implementation of regenerative farming and grazing practices. Today, Ben loves nothing more than watching his children find their own path in the show ring.
RIKKI FOSS - 2003
In 2003 Rikki was recently married and travelling to her new home on the weekends to the farm in Bruce Rock. Fast forward to today and Rikki and husband Anthony live in Perth with their two children, Jude, 16, and Stella, 14. Rikki works for Plum Grove (grain trading company) as its general manager.
KARL SUCKLING - 2002
Karl is the proud father of three girls, 13, 11, and eight, and runs the family farm with his brother and sister-in-law. With his own three girls, and his brother’s three boys, it’s a true family effort. He’s actively involved with Future Farmers, his local show and has a role in his town’s community centre committee.
PETER ANGUS - 2001
Peter coordinates the Young Rural Ambassador and Rural Ambassador Award programs for SA Country Shows and the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural of South Australia. He’s on the SA Sheep Expo committee and Australian White Suffolk Association Federal Council (AWSA) and has enjoyed many roles in Agri-politics and industry groups since 2001.
His sheep stud has also expanded to over 300 ewes, selling 110 flock rams locally and around SA.
