Chris wins inaugural prize at biggest 'Cow Camp' yet

Chris Thompson, who is in year 12 at Urrbrae Agricultural High School, was named champion handler on Wednesday, as well as being the young dairy leadership award recipient - the first time the prize had been awarded.

The young leader award, sponsored by Beck Burgess Consulting, was devised for the first time this year - the dairy youth camp's 10th running at the Adelaide Showground.

It recognises and supports individuals, between 16 and 20, who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential, a passion for the dairy industry and a commitment to learn and grow in the field.

It offers $500 towards further training or leadership opportunities within the sector, such as attending conferences.

Chris does not come from a dairy background but first began working with dairy animals three years ago, when his school was preparing and then showing them as part of the Royal Adelaide Show dairy section school's program.

"I loved the cows and I found I was fairly decent with dairy cows," he said.

"My teacher recommended I go and help out breeders at other shows to get more experience."

This led to him attending International Dairy Week in Vic, as well as getting a place on the SA Youth Challenge Team.

"It really opened a lot of doors and I learnt a lot," he said.

"All small country shows are also so important in learning how to do everything."

Chris's passion for dairy is so much that he has started his own dairy stud, alongside fellow student Toby Zilm, Birdwood.

Between them, they have four Holsteins and two Jerseys under the Toris Holsteins prefix.

While next year he plans to work on a station in the Northern Territory as a gap year before studying, he says his "heart is really with dairy cows".

He did not believe he would have the opportunity to become a dairyfarmer, but he was interested in careers that could help farmers, including plans to develop his skills in artificial insemination and embryo transfers.

"There is a lot of opportunity in dairy," he said.

Chris also enjoys the opportunity to work with his own stock, including picking out heifers and bulls.

"I like the idea of trying to breed my cows better - looking at bulls and picking out what I do and don't like about them," he said.

He said events such as the dairy youth camp were important, offering the chance to learn new skills as well as help pass on some to those newer than him.

Youth camp convenor Mandy Pacitti said numbers at this year's event were at the highest ever in it's 20 year history - with the event held every second year.

There were 51 entrants, coming from the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu, South East and metropolitan Adelaide, as well as some coming from as far as NSW.

Ms Pacitti said the schools program at RAS had really helped put "Cow Camp" on the radar of teachers, many of whom had been advising their students to attend and gain more skills and experience.

She said another positive from this year was bringing back past participants - some from as early as the first camp in 2004 - as team leaders, and seeing how many were still in the industry or in agriculture more generally.

She said it was also great to see the support from industry and the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society, with many volunteering their time as either speakers or support, while breeders offered 48 heifers to be handled by the entrants.

As well as clipping, handling, junior judging and public speaking, the entrants also learned about traceability and had their chance to make ice cream, cheese and butter with Gina Del Santo.

Ms Pacitti says the event is an important one to continue to ensure the industry has a workforce.

"If we're not proactive, we won't have the capacity to keep producing the dairy products that Australia needs to consume," she said.

While Ms Pacitti and her husband Gino Pacitti have been the driving force for this event for the past 20 years, the high numbers at this year's event have encouraged them to consider other options going forward.

She said some of the topics being discussed will be whether they could form an official committee and even if the event could be held annually.