Off the back of winning the prestigious 2025 Agricultural Shows Australia (ASA) Meat Breed Sheep Young Judges final, Cooma's Miranda McGufficke has proved anything is possible if you are prepared to take up opportunities to grow and learn. Miranda, 24, not only represented NSW in the ASA Meat Breed Sheep Young Judges final, she was also a finalist and ultimately runner-up in the Merino Fleece Young Judges category. The 2025 national championships, held in a different location each year, was hosted by South Australian Country Shows at the Royal Adelaide Show from 1-6 September and included Young Judges (beef and dairy cattle, grain, Merino sheep and fleece, meat breeds sheep, and poultry), Paraders (beef and dairy cattle), the Australian Young Farmers Challenge and National Rural Ambassador awards. The national championships brought together the best of the best in youthful rural talent, community spirit, and industry excellence. Young judges and paraders aged from 15 to 25 in each state gathered to compete in the annual competition with qualification via successful results in regional and state competitions. "The personal development I have seen in myself is one of the key reasons why participating and learning from these competitions is so important for young people," Miranda said. Agricultural competitions, from the humble local show through to the national titles, has opened many doors for Miranda. "Being a part of the young judges competitions and ultimately the national finals educational and networking opportunities, was a wonderful experience. I have enjoyed participating in these events and meeting supportive and encouraging mentors and other enthusiastic young people," she said. "I look forward to the next opportunities I will make from being a part of this experience. "It is more than judging well-presented animals and commodities, it is about gaining confidence in public speaking and more importantly, stepping out of your comfort zone. “For me, these awards signify the start of a very long and inspiring career in the industry. I want to go back and encourage more women to become passionate about the Merino industry." Competition was keenly contested in the national finals. In the Meat Breed Sheep category, which Miranda claimed, the six finalists put their skills to the test assessing White Suffolk ewes and Border Leicester rams. "It was wonderful to see the South Australian commodities after such a trying season," Miranda said. "The wool was tricky with all fleeces having a 50 per cent greasy yield from the drought. It felt like you were appraising the wool and doing a bit of agronomy with the amount of dirt in the fleeces! "The sheep were well presented show sheep, and I enjoyed challenging myself with different types of sheep, being a die-hard Merino girl." Miranda manages genomic data for her family's seedstock business at 'Greendale', Cooma, and recently completed a Bachelor of Animal Science at the University of New England majoring in livestock science and production. "This year I have been able to work all over the country through my graduate role with AAM investment group, from working in a corporate office in the CBD of Brisbane, to managing livestock data at a remote cattle station in the Northern Territory, and now travelling the east coast of Australia as a sales operator for Stocklive," Miranda said. Miranda has cherished and special memories of her younger years being involved in, and attending, local shows. A lifelong show supporter, Miranda entered cooking and wool exhibits with her grandfather and now volunteers alongside her sisters running entertainment, school art projects, and the farmers challenge. "Throughout my time at school I was exposed to the junior judging competitions and different Agshow groups across numerous local communities," she said. "My earliest show memories include entering exhibits for the cooking and pavilion sections and helping my grandfather in the wool section. He loved the show and always helped us grandchildren pick out a fleece at shearing time to enter. "The people I have been able to meet at different shows and the wisdom and encouragement they have shown has been paramount to my continued involvement and now further encouragement of other young people." Miranda's extensive experience in this field has influenced her choices in life, both personally and professionally. “My advice for anyone getting started is to learn from people who are doing better than you, and reach out to mentors who will be there the whole way through the journey," Miranda said. She said she is looking forward to mentoring and supporting the next generation of youth involved in regional areas and those interested in pursuing a career in agriculture. Prestigious competitions such as the national finals highlight the incredible reach and rewards of agricultural shows, from connecting communities to agricultural education. "The networking and educational opportunities that come from participating in any level of this competition is wonderful and creates so many avenues for young people to step out of their comfort zone," she said. "Ten years from now, I hope that I am a leader who creates more leaders. "I will continue to support youth in agriculture and encourage more young people who are embracing this industry. I aspire to be able to showcase the benefit of data driven decisions and how technology and measured comparisons are the pathway forward to creating more profitable and productive businesses. "Additionally, I hope to continue breeding industry leading genetics that are commercially focused and economically sustainable, with a personal goal over the next 10 years being to produce over +200,000kgs of Merino wool at 15-16 microns."
