YOUNG Eudunda farmer and shearer Garry Schutz has never missed his local show in his nineteen years of life and says it is one of his favourite times of the year.
But he will get to see many more of the state's country shows as the winner of the Young Rural Ambassador state title awarded at a presentation dinner at the Adelaide Showground on Friday night.
Mr Schutz says he was "over the moon" to be chosen from the nine finalists and hoped to build on the foundations of the previous winners.
He is currently working on his family's property which crops about 3650 hectares for hay and grain and also runs a self-replacing Merino flock.
Between seasons he has also been shearing for the past two years in the local area and interstate.
Mr Schutz joined the Eudunda Show committee this year but has been helping out in the shearing competition for several years and competing in both shearing and ag produce for even longer.
"My family is very involved (in the show) and when one person helps you all pitch in and give everyone a hand," he said.
At this year's Eudunda show on Sunday, November 10 he hopes, with the current and immediate past rural ambassadors, to introduce a new Merino ewe hogget competition.
Minister for Primary Industries & Regional Development Tim Whetstone, who presented the awards, said Mr Schutz was a deserving winner and a "passionate role model" for his local Eudunda show.
"Once again it was outstanding to have such a high calibre field of finalists for the awards holding agriculture and our regions in good stead for future years," he said.
"It is important we continue to foster young rural leaders and create opportunities that inspire our youth to stay in the agriculture sector and promote their regional communities"
Runner-up was 20-year-old Cassy Poulton representing the Central region.
Ms Poulton found her love of country shows only five years ago when she began showing led steers in Year 10 at school.
She has been making up for it since showing beef cattle at many shows and entering young judges competitions across the state.
She is studying a Bachelor of Animal Science at the University of Adelaide's Roseworthy Campus.
"I am very privileged to be awarded this given the quality of the finalists- every single person has done so much for the agricultural industry," Ms Poulton said.
