The 2019 Norman Lethbridge Award was awarded at this year’s Sydney Royal Angus Feature Show, with two young winners selected for the award.
Shante Palmer from Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College, Berkley Vale and Darcy Howard from Chevalier were deemed equal winning recipients by the award subcommittee, made up of Christine Erby, Mark Lucas, Simon Hennings and Richard Buck.
The Norman Lethbridge is awarded to a student or cadet aged 16 to 25 who study agriculture, livestock auctioneering or stock and station agency within 200km of Sydney. The award, established in 2002, is in honour of Norman Lethbridge, the past secretary of the New South Wales State Committee and respected stock and station agent.
Equal recipient Mr Darcy Howard, currently completing Grade 12, has been heavily involved in the Chevalier College Show team for a number of years and has studied agriculture since Grade 9.
Mr Howard is accomplished within the show ring, recently being awarded overall Champion Judge at the 2018 Unischool Steer Challenge, Reserve Champion School Parader at Sydney Royal 2018, second in the Merino judging at Canberra Royal 2019 and took part in the junior meat sheep and beef cattle judging at the 2019 Sydney Royal Show.
He is also an active member of his local community, taking part in the Harbison care program, and assisting at Bong Bong Races and Bowral Show. In 2019 he was awarded the Wingecarribee Young Citizen of the Year.
Miss Shante Palmer has a background in agriculture with successes in showing and livestock judging. Her recent accomplishments include equal winner of the individual beef judging and a member of the runner-ups beef judging team competition at the 2018 Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza and competing in the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging.
Due to her involvement and vested interest and passion in studying agriculture during her time at Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College, Miss Palmer was nominated for the Norman Lethbridge Award by her high school agricultural teacher.
Miss Palmer will this year be returning to her old high school to assist the show team and looks forward to starting work on a Northern Territory Station to expand her agricultural experience.
The runner-ups for the 2019 Norman Lethbridge Award were Haylee Hastings of Kingswood High School and Gena Petrickas of Colo High School, North Richmond.
The Gary Roberts Encouragement Award, sponsored by Gary Roberts of Potts Point, went to Rosie Webb of The Scots School, Bathurst.
The Norman Lethbridge award is sponsored by the Lethbridge Family, Mr Des and Mrs Wendy Stubbs, Mr Gary Roberts, Booroomooka Angus Stud and Forres Angus Stud.