The EJ Angus Encouragement Award has been presented to Angus Lee, Wagga Wagga.
A first-time competitor at the NH Foods Angus Youth National Roundup, the 14-year-old Angus is a year 9 student at The Riverina Anglican College and became involved with showing cattle through the school's agriculture program.
"I started going to ag in year 7 and have stayed there ever since, going to rural shows around Wagga Wagga including Gundagai, Yass and Goulburn," he said. "This year we went to Canberra Royal and in July I went to Limousin Youth with Summit Livestock.
"I've always loved cattle... through my grandparents farm I've loved being surrounded by cattle, and saw an opportunity in the school team."
Angus' natural ability with livestock, enthusiasm and involvement throughout the roundup allowed him to shine taking home a number of accolades.
Along with the EJ Angus Encouragement Award, he says the accolades received at roundup were his biggest achievements including reserve champion sub-intermediate herdsperson, reserve champion sub-intermediate meat judge and third in his paraders class.
Angus also featured as one of nine competitors in the junior judging 'arena spectacular', a competition in which the three high-scoring competitors in the oldest three age groups officiated a class of heifers in front of the entire show.
"I really liked the junior judging and how the top three took part in the judging spectacular at night," he said. "I was lucky enough to have a crack at that and it gave me experience having a judge watching you and having to place them right there and then."
Recently, he also competed at the Cootamundra Show on the weekend. He had never judged sheep, grains or vegetables before, but he successfully placed first in everything.
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At Roundup, Angus and fellow student Georgia Thompson had the opportunity to take the school's team of six - four steers, two carcase heifers.
Angus says he would definitely attend another Roundup, and in the future he hopes to have his own Angus or Limousin stud and show, as well as become a stock and station agent.
"The biggest thing I enjoyed about Roundup was meeting new people. When I first got there I would have known two people in my group, and by the end of it I knew people like I had known them for years," he said.
"Also being able to put faces to names was good... I saw a heap of kids at Canberra (Royal), and now I have met them. The inclusivity meant I got to get to know a lot of people and learn each others' stories."
Angus also received the Trassoc Livestock Encouragement Award at the Southern All Breeds Heifer Show, Harden, in August.
