Best in the nest: Australia’s top young poultry judges revealed
Four young poultry judges will represent WA, SA, NSW and Victoria.
The best young poultry judges in Australia have been announced by Agricultural Shows Australia and will compete in the prestigious national finals this September.
The 2025 National Championships is being hosted by the SA Country Shows at the Royal Adelaide Show from 1-6 September 2025 and includes young judges (beef and dairy cattle, grain, Merino sheep and fleece, meat breeds sheep, and poultry), paraders (beef and dairy cattle), Australian Young Farmers Challenge, and National Rural Ambassador Award.
The National Championships brings together the best of the best in rural talent, community spirit, and industry excellence with young judges and paraders aged from 15 to 25 gathering to compete in the annual competition.
Qualification is via success in competitive regional and state competitions, and national championships held in a different location each year. The prestigious competitions highlight the reach and rewards of agricultural shows, from connecting communities to driving growth and celebrating success.

Edward Lock

Meet the four finalists in the Poultry Young Judges final:
VICTORIA | Josh Hancock, 20, Merbein
Josh Hancock’s family has been involved in agricultural shows for four generations.
During the week he works in shed construction but come the weekend, he shows under the name ‘Ducknuts Waterfowl’ and is a provisional Judge on the Victorian Poultry Judges list.
Josh’s show highlight is winning Champion Bird of Show at the Adelaide Royal in 2018, but says Mildura Show holds a special place in his heart thanks to its significance for his family over so many generations.
“I started competing in the Young Judges in 2023 when I was asked by several highly respected people in the Victorian poultry world to have a go because they said I would gain a lot from the experience. Having showed birds for most of my life it was the next step. From this, I have now done my judging assessment for waterfowl and gained confidence in public speaking.”
SOUTH AUSTRALIA | Eddie Lock, 17, Naracoorte
Year 12 student Eddie Lock is no stranger to the show ring – he’s stewarded at Royal Adelaide Show in the pigeon section, been a convenor at Naracoorte Show for poultry and pigeon competitions, and is a long-time competitor at Naracoorte Show.
“I started competing in the judging competition three years ago because I loved showing chooks and was keen to practice and improve my judging skills. My proudest moment was winning Champion Junior Poultry at Royal Adelaide Show in 2022.”
WESTERN AUSTRALIA | Thomas Spencer, 23, Muchea
Thomas has been hooked on the show ring for 16 years, showing poultry and stud cattle at the Perth Royal Show and beyond.
Running a Hereford stud and working with Nutrien Livestock in Goomalling, he loves the mix of competition, camaraderie, and the chance to test his skills.
” My grandmother, Maureen, was born into a show family. She was showing horses over 80 years ago at the Perth Royal Show, and other agricultural shows like the Moora Show, so I was lucky that this was a passion she shared with me. It helped make my passion for poultry and stud cattle a reality. I’ve attended the Moora Show every year since she encouraged me to attend 16 years ago.”
NSW SOUTH WALES | Bryson Lee, 17, Maclean
Bryson is a Year 11 student from Maclean High School with a love for agriculture shaped by life on his family’s beef cattle property.
From a young age he’s been involved in showing poultry, riding horses, and competing in cattle events.
A junior member of the Maclean Show Society and part of his school’s successful cattle show team, Bryson has made his mark across local shows – especially in poultry judging.
He won junior judging at the North Coast National two years running and was recently crowned Champion Junior Poultry Judge at the Sydney Royal.
“I am the fourth generation involved in showing poultry in my family. My great grandfather, my grandfather and my father have all successfully shown and judged poultry their whole lives. My grandfather, Peter Lee, and my father, Ashley Lee, have both mentored me with my breeding and judging, and there are also many other poultry breeders that have helped me along the way.”
Jacqueline (Jac) Wilson-Smith, Chair of Agricultural Shows Australia – the peak body representing 572 agricultural shows that attract six million visitors annually and contribute nearly $1 billion to the national economy – describes the competition as a celebration of emerging talent in livestock judging across the country.
“This is an incredibly prestigious event, and earning a spot in the nationals is highly sought after,” Jac said.
“These young competitors represent the future of agricultural show competitions, which play a vital role in advancing Australia’s food and fibre industries. The nationals offer an exciting chance for participants to grow both personally and professionally while testing their skills against the very best.”
The Poultry Young Judges final will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, September 2.