General News
19 April, 2026
Awards night celebrates Wimmera shows
The Wimmera Agricultural Shows Association gala dinner, held on April 10 at the Poultry Shed in Horsham, recognised the achievements and contributions of the Wimmera show communities.
The evening featured guest speaker Harry Lloyd, the Kyabram sheep and cattle farmer from the 2022 season of Farmer Wants a Wife.
During his address, he shared his experiences on the show and discussed his role as the 2025 Victorian Rural Ambassador, emphasising the importance of young people in the agricultural sector.
Later in the evening, a highlight was the announcement of the Wimmera Level 2026 Rural Ambassador Award, presented to Aiden Keys of the Warracknabeal Show.
Mr Keys will represent the Wimmera at the state finals at the Royal Melbourne Show.
Goroke’s Lucinda Smith received the Junior Ambassador Award and will represent the Wimmera at the state finals at the VAS Convention.
Marcel Badua of Jeparit was named runner-up, further highlighting the strong field of entrants.
This year, seven ambassadors represented their local shows. These included Horsham, Kaniva, Donald, Warracknabeal, Goroke, Jeparit, and Nhill.
Demonstrating exceptional commitment, enthusiasm, and leadership, all participants made the judging process highly competitive and reflective of the region's strong representation.
Transitioning from the ambassador recognitions, the evening also celebrated excellence in agriculture through the Southern Wimmera Annual Crop Competition, sponsored by SMS Rural.
Cliff Allen and family from Goroke received first place, while Matthew Feder from Kaniva placed second.
WASA thanked the Horsham Show for hosting and expressed gratitude to all sponsors, volunteers, and attendees for contributing to a successful and memorable evening.