With a goal to establish a young judges’ competition at the Clare Show, 20-year-old
Cody Jones is a worthy winner of the 2022 Young Rural Ambassador Award, announced in July at the Adelaide Showground.
Cody, representing the Clare Show and Northern Shows Association, works as a wool representative for Quality Wool in Jamestown and is currently completing his Certificate 4 in Wool Classing.
Cody has always been involved in country shows and the Royal Adelaide Show from a young age, exhibiting poultry and waterfowl. This year he also took on the convening role for the wool section at the Clare Show, and has previously represented South Australia at
national junior judging competitions for both Merino and Meat Sheep judging.
In addition to winning the Young Rural Ambassador Award, Cody enjoyed a successful 2022 Royal Adelaide Show - winning the Poultry Young Judges competition, the Merino Sheep Young Judges competition, and being named the Meat Sheep Breed Young Judges State Champion.
“It is an absolute honour to win this award, especially against the quality of the other young rural ambassador finalists as they are all amazing young ambassadors,” Cody said.
“As the Young Rural Ambassador state winner for South Australia, I hope to build networks with a lot of new and different people. This way I can promote my own local
show, especially the agricultural sector, as that is what the region is built on.
“Over the next few years, I wish to get a Young Judges’ Competition going at the Clare Show.”
The Young Rural Ambassador Award is supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) and run by SA Country Shows. It recognises young people who are committed to their local show and community, and highlights the importance of
youth in the agricultural show movement. It also acts as a succession plan for South Australia’s country shows, helping to inject enthusiastic young people into their local shows in leadership roles.
The Member for Waite, Catherine Hutchesson, who attended the ceremony on behalf of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, said the Young Rural Ambassador Award is about championing youth in agriculture.
“Congratulations to Cody on winning South Australia’s Young Rural Ambassador Award for 2022 and well done to all of the finalists. They are all fine examples of young people in our regions and I wish them well in their careers and personal development,” she said.
The runner up was Rebecca Clifford from the Kimba Show and Eyre Peninsula Show Association. Rebecca, aged 18, is currently completing a traineeship in aged care, and greatly enjoys helping those in her community and volunteering. She has been a part of
her local show committee for four years.
Other state finalists included Riley Kulper (Murraylands); Katherine Thiele (Southern); Ethan White (Northern); Lucy Steer (SE & Border); Will Goodes (SE & Border); Maddie Zoanetti (Central).