In her first time competing in the RAS/AgShows Merino fleece young judges competition state final, Tamworth's Zara Kesby is now going on to represent the state at nationals later this year.
A total of 23 young judges from around the state put their expertise to the test last Wednesday in the final where Miss Kesby was sashed champion.
The 17-year-old is from a sheep and cattle operation in the New England, where her family runs Dorpers, and she was shocked when she took out the win.
"I got an invite to a local show to come try out for the judging competitions and I tried all of them," she said.
"I wasn't expecting this at all."
The competition's over judge was Angus Carter, Armidale, who ran through the process he follows when judging a fleece and reminded contestants to be mindful when testing the strength of the staple to not pull it out of the fleece.
The young men and women judged two tables with four fleeces on each.
One being a range of fine wool fleeces and the other was a range of medium fleeces, with four minutes allowed to judge each fleece.
Reserve champion of the competition was awarded to Nimmitabel's Charlotte Pateman.
Miss Pateman said this was her third year of judging fleeces at the Sydney Royal Show and her first time placing in the competition.
"I'm feeling very overwhelmed," she said.
"I was not expecting it at all."
The Monaro-based sheep judge was also at the show as part of Greenland Merinos, Bungarby, who also had a successful show winning the Stonehaven Cup for the first time.
Third place was awarded to Georgia Briggs, Gilgandra, while Abigail Van Eyk, Uralla, was sashed fourth and Miranda McGufficke, Cooma, fifth.
