VAS Ltd awards 3 Life Memberships at the VAS Ltd Convention Dinner

VAS Ltd was pleased to award a Life Membership to Lorraine Morris, Brian Keirl & Scott Somerville. Please read below their amazing contributions to the Victorian Agricultural Shows Movement!

Lorraine Morris awarded Life Membership

Lorraine was first elected to the VAS Ltd Board in 2017. During the 8 years she has learnt a lot about how the organisation functions and the challenges facing the various Show Societies. She has enjoyed the challenges that were put before her. One in particular, being part of the Board Committee to run the 2018 State Convention in Ballarat & 2021 State Convention in Bendigo.

Lorraine was President of Northern District Group for a period of 3 years and Secretary for the previous 3 years which included the hosting of the 2016 State Convention in Swan Hill. Lorraine is a member of the Kerang & District Show and has held the positions of Treasurer and Secretary previously, Publicity & Grants Officer. She is a Homecrafts/Cookery judge as well giving her time to travel to shows across the state.

Her interest in Agricultural Shows goes back to when she was a teenager travelling to the shows, including Royal Melbourne, with her father for many years showing stock, and their Arabian horses. She has been assisting for the past few years with the Saddle Horse Championships either stewarding or catering as well as her family sponsorships the championships as well.

Congratulations to Lorraine on your Life Membership of the Victorian Agricultural Shows!

Brian Keirl awarded Life Membership

Brian was appointed to the VAS Board in July 2016 and since his time on the board Brian as been Chairperson for the past 4 years. He has served on the Saddle Horse Championships Committee and assisted with the event as a steward. He has also been the Chairperson of the Livestock Committee and been a steward at the State Finals of the Beef & Dairy Cattle Competitions.

Brian is a Councillor of the Royal Geelong Agricultural and Pastoral Society and a Committee Member for the Geelong Show Cattle Committee.

He has been a past Vice Chairperson of the Limousin Australia Cattle Breed Society and a current Committee Member of Limousin Australia Promotional Group in Victoria. Brian has shown cattle at all levels of shows and has a passion to see Show Societies prosper into the future. Also he has assisted at the Stud Beef Cattle Handlers camp for many years and enjoys supporting the next generation.

Congratulations to Brian on your Life Membership of the Victorian Agricultural Shows!

 

Scott Somerville awarded Life Membership

Scott is a dairy farmer from Timmering in Northern Victoria. He has been heavily involved in Agricultural Shows his whole life. Scott has exhibited Dairy Cattle at many shows and also had a Poll Hereford stud for many years. Part of his involvement in the Holstein breed and showing in general Scott served as Chairman of the RAS Dairy Cattle Committee for approximately five years, and also was President of the Northern Sub-branch of Holstein Australia for a two-year term. He is on the Holstein Australia National Judges Panel, and in 2014 the stud received a Holstein Australia Master Breeder Award and are owners and breeders of the 2014/15 Holstein Australia Cow of the Year.

Scott has been President of the Rochester Show Society for many years and was recently made a life member after 30 plus years on the Committee. He has been Chief Dairy Cattle Steward for many years and more recently steward of the Horse Section.

Scott has served on the VAS Ltd Board for the past 8 years and has previously been Deputy Chair and actively involved with the Saddlehorse Championships and Dairy Cattle Competitions. Most recently he has been chairperson of the VAS Horse Committee as well.

Congratulations to Scott on your Life Membership of the Victorian Agricultural Shows!

2025 VAS Ltd Junior Carrot & Sultana Muffins State Final Results

Proudly Sponsored By Rocky Lamattina & Sons

1ST PLACE - Harriet Dickins - Goulburn Valley Riverina Group - Dookie Show

2ND PLACE - Wesley Altmann - South Western Group - Royal Geelong Show

3RD PLACE - Hannah Clark - Central & South Gippsland Group - Bunyip Show

Remaining State Finalists:

James Oakley - Central & Upper Goulburn Group - Seymour Show

Navy Ellmers - Gippsland Group - Yarram Show

Arabella Jess - Midlands Group - Beaufort Show

Elizabeth McNamara - North Eastern Group - Yarrawonga Show

Alice Petersen - Northern District Group - Deniliquin Show

Sophie Light - Wimmera Group - Goroke Show

2025 VAS Ltd Carrot Cake State Final Results

Proudly Sponsored By Rocky Lamattina & Sons

1ST PLACE - Ian Kohlman - Central & Upper Goulburn Group - Kyneton Show

2ND PLACE - Ashlea Wright - Wimmera Group - Donald Show

3RD PLACE - Gayle Read - Goulburn Valley Riverina Group - Shepparton Show

Remaining State Finalists:

Fiona Argento - Central & South Gippsland Group - Foster Show

Sue-Ellen Bunting - Gippsland Group - Sale Show

June Lockie - Midlands Group - Clunes Show

Joanne Leslie - North Eastern Group - Yarrawonga Show

Rebecca Wickham - Northern District Group - Barham Koondrook Show

Angela Johnson - South Western Group - Colac Show

2025 Junior Show Ambassador State Final Results

Proudly Sponsored By Gallagher Insurance

WINNER: Charlotte Wigney representing the Northern District Group & Bendigo Show

RUNNER UP: Hannah Creevey representing the Midlands Group & Maldon Show

Remaining State Finalists:

Felicity Winnington - Central & South Gippsland Group - Berwick Show

Isabella Gilbert - Central & Upper Goulburn Group - Lilydale Show

Jordan Boddy - Gippsland Group - Yarram Show

Elizabeth McNamara - North Eastern Group - Yarrawonga Show

DustyRaiyn McIntyre - Wimmera Group - St Arnaud Show

2025 VAS Ltd Show Award Results

Best Innovation Award Small Section

Winner: Koroit Show - Innovation: Koroit Field Day

Runner Up: Yarram Show - Innovation: Honeyeater Adventure Trail

Best Innovation Award Medium Section

Winner: Nathalia Show - Innovation: Lexus Melbourne Cup

Best Innovation Award Large Section

Winner: Bendigo Show - Innovation: Live Crop Display

Runner Up: Bendigo Show - Innovation: Kid Zone

Best Marketing Campaign Award Small Section

Winner: Koroit Show

Best Marketing Campaign Award Medium Section

Winner: Natimuk Show

Best Marketing Campaign Award Large Section

Winner: Bendigo Show

Runner Up: Berwick Show

Outstanding Individual Contribution 25 - 39 Years

Winner: Camperdown Show - Jasmine Edwards

Runner Up: Bendigo Show - William Francis

Outstanding Individual Contribution 40 Years & Over

Winner: Swan Hill Show - Reginald Packer

Runner Up: Foster Show - Robbie Davidson

People’s Choice Award

Winner: Whittlesea Show

Runner Up: Noorat Show

2025 Junior Carrot & Sultana Muffins State Finalists

Wishing the Junior Carrot & Sultana Muffins State Finalists the best of luck for this weekends State Final. Check back in for the results as they will be announced on the VAS Ltd Facebook Page Saturday Night!

Hannah Clark - Central & South Gippsland Group - Bunyip Show

James Oakley - Central & Upper Goulburn Group - Seymour Show

Navy Ellmers - Gippsland Group - Yarram Show

Harriet Dickins - Goulburn Valley Riverina Group - Dookie Show

Arabella Jess - Midlands Group - Beaufort Show

Elizabeth McNamara - North Eastern Group - Yarrawonga Show

Alice Petersen - Northern District Group - Deniliquin Show

Wesley Altmann - South Western Group - Royal Geelong Show

Lily Curran - Western District Group - Tyrendarra Show

Sophie Light - Wimmera Group - Goroke Show

2025 Carrot Cake State Finalists

Wishing the Carrot Cake State Finalists the best of luck for this weekends State Final. Check back in for the results as they will be announced on the VAS Ltd Facebook Page Saturday Night!

Fiona Argento - Central & South Gippsland Group - Foster Show

Ian Kohlman - Central & Upper Goulburn Group - Kyneton Show

Sue-Ellen Bunting - Gippsland Group - Sale Show

Gayle Read - Goulburn Valley Riverina Group - Shepparton Show

June Lockie - Midlands Group - Clunes Show

Joanne Leslie - North Eastern Group - Yarrawonga Show

Rebecca Wickham - Northern District Group - Barham Koondrook Show

Angela Johnson - South Western Group - Colac Show

Ashlea Wright - Wimmera Group - Donald Show

Junior Show Ambassador State Finalists

Charlotte is currently studying a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. She is currently a casual station hand for the Paraway Pastoral Company which is a 20,000-hectare merino sheep stud and enjoys learning new skills in such a team environment. Her involvement in the Bendigo Show started from a young age entering as many exhibits she could across multiple sections such as embroidery, photography, flower arrangements and even fruit sculptures. The excitement and pride every year of taking her family and friends in to see how she had placed will always be a core memory for her. She jumped at the opportunity to represent her show as she wants to advocate to other community members to enter and become involved as she believes this is the only way to keep the show alive with community involvement.

DustyRaiyn is currently completing year 12 and is school captain for 2025. She has grown up on the families 42-acre hobby farm and has enjoyed developing her agricultural knowledge. Her involvement in the St Arnaud Show started when she was young entering exhibits and in 2022, she was provided the opportunity to be the chief steward of Section R. DustyRaiyn is very passionate in youth voice and has been involved in different youth based programs and is currently on the Student Advisory Board for the National Council for Student Voice, which provides her the platform to get her voice heard and represent her community. In her spare time, she plays social badminton and enjoys canoeing on the local bodies of water. She was also privileged this year to be awarded Young Citizen of the Year and she is very proud of this achievement.

Elizabeth is currently completing year 12 and shows excellence in her education with receiving the Year 11 Dux last year. She currently works in a local café, which has strengthened her community connection, and she volunteered to be apart of the Wangaratta FReeZA fundraising event in 2024. Her involvement in the Yarrawonga Show started from a young age mainly through entering her work in the arts & crafts, which she has a passion for. She appreciates the way an agricultural show can bring together people and be able to celebrate creativity, skills and community. In the future Elizabeth hopes to inspire other youth to appreciate their local surroundings and to recognise the duty they hold in preserving and nurturing these rural communities and the future of agricultural shows is vital in this success.

Felicity is an active member of the community as she completes her Year 11 schooling via homeschooling she is involved in Girl Guides, Scouts, Church, Community Theatre, Highland Dancing, Berwick Show and Pakenham Show. Her involvement in the Berwick and Pakenham Show has stemmed from her entering the art, craft and cookery sections but has now come involved in engaging with the community to get more entries and is assisting the secretary with a few new ideas for next year. Felicity became involved with Highland Dancing after seeing it at the Berwick Show in 2019 and is now part of the group that has been invited to China in September this year to perform over a 10-day period. She really loves giving back to her community and really wants to advocate for the show to showcase the agricultural industry further.

Hannah is currently completing year 12 with a passion for agriculture she aims to further her education in the following years with a particular interest in animal nutrition. She has immersed herself in the world of livestock and equine management through working as a farrier assistant and also a stud assistant in exhibiting cattle at shows across the state. Her attendance at these shows has seen her enter the junior judging and parading events, which she has been successful in qualifying herself for the State Final and she aims to further her skills in the judging of animals and the ability to evaluate and then interact with exhibitors. Hannah has been competing with her horses since the age of six and is an active member of the Maldon Pony Club and was awarded the Alan & Cheryl Lang Perpetual Trophy for Leadership & Loyalty recognising her commitment to the club.

Isabella is currently completing Year 11 and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Silver Level. She is involved in the Lilydale Show as a youth helper and a regular committee meeting participant as well as assisting in the art/craft pavilion and on show day helps run a children’s craft activity. She is currently also volunteering at the Interchange Disability Services and is a recreation and peer support volunteer and supports children and teenagers in a group setting with skill development and socialisation. Isabella enjoys being creative and this has led her to enter the Melbourne Royal Show Young @ Art Competition and particularly enjoys ceramics, sculptures, drawing and sewing. Her future ambition is to become an art therapist, which combines her love of creativity and passion of helping others. Isabella hopes to continue the legacy of supporting an event that is so important for connection, education and building community spirit.

Jordan is currently studying nursing at Federation University and works at Woolworths while also babysitting casually as well. Her involvement in the Yarram Show has made her feel more involved in the community and made her aware of the different values compared to her involvement in the local football and netball club. In the last three years her roles have been help organise and set up entries, stewarding on judging day, entering results, setting up the honeyeater trail and completing any other tasks that is required. Jordan aims to encourage the local high school to be more involved through students volunteering and submitting more entries and she is then hoping they will feel more encouraged to participate and do so for years to come. She hopes the passion for the show continues to grow and that entries keep increasing as the community becomes more involved again.