Rural science student claims national crop judging win

A Quipolly rural science student has won the national young crop judging competition at Melbourne Royal Show.

A young crop judge from Quipolly in NSW has earned kudos at the Melbourne Royal Show.

Emily Taylor, 20, who also breeds and shows Poll Hereford cattle, had success in both the zone and state components of the young crop judges competition before heading to Melbourne to claim the national honours.

“This time last year, I had no idea about grain, but I thought I’d enter the competition, along with fruit and vegetables, when I went in the beef cattle judging in my local area,” she said.

Emily is in her second year of studying rural science at the University of New England in Armidale and lives with her family on a beef cattle property.

In addition to participating in the crop judging Emily Taylor also competed in the beef cattle judging. (Photo by THIERRY ZOCCOLAN / AFP)

She said learning about crops was a matter of broadening her scope in terms of agricultural learning.

Emily also took cattle from her Eclipse Poll Hereford stud to the Melbourne Royal, and she said it was good to compete in both the cattle and crop judging events.

“It was a big surprise to do so well,” she said.

Emily had to judge wheat, barley and canola and had four samples in each class.

The young judges were assessed on their accuracy and ability to assess quality and protein.

“We had to judge with a commercial focus and relate that back to how buyers would look at samples and what would make the most money for a producer,” Emily said.

Competition runner-up was Olivia Delaforce, 21, from Mt Beppo, Queensland.