Moss Vale High students take out top spots at Nowra Showground's Young Judges competition

Agriculture teacher Jemima Finlayson described the students as "wonderful ambassadors" of the school.

"It was a pleasure to take these kids on the excursion and I thank them for their impeccable manners and respect," she said.

Moss Vale High had one contestant in the junior section, and of the 43 entrants in the intermediate section, eight Moss Vale High students were selected to speak in the oral section: Jack Burston, Ryan Cushway, Caspian Adams, Riley Hong, Lily Van Bentum, Siobhan Newton, Sam Gambrill and Grace Heyes.

Rily Hong came in first place in the intermediate section, followed by Sam Gambrill in second place and Lily Van Bentum in third place.

In the senior division there were five Moss Vale High students, and all five were asked to compete in the oral section: Peter Norman, Gwilym Boyle, Emma McMahon, Alana Watsford and Brayden Stirton, who placed second overall.

Brayden will now go on to compete in the group finals at the Sydney Royal next year.

"It was a great day for all involved and a wonderful hands on learning experience for everyone," Ms Finlayson said.

Southern Highland News sat down with the students to discuss the competition, and their studies.

"For the competition, we were handed slips of paper and they had 'first', 'second', 'third' and 'fourth' on them, and we had to walk around three sets of cows with four cows in each set and you had to go and judge and rate them," Lily said.

"And at the end if you had judged them correctly you had to speak about the cows and the order you put them in, and you were judged on that as well."

The students said agriculture interests them because they're able to be around animals, and to better understand where our food comes from.

"That paddock to plate, and knowing where our food comes from is very interesting and good to know," Brayden said.

He came second in the seniors and will move into the group finals at the Sydney Royal.

"That's big, but I don't know if I'll be able to go because of other commitments outside of school," he said.

The agriculture studies offered at Moss Vale High is one of the more popular subjects, according to the students.

"We have really good agriculture facilities with a big ag plot," Brayden said.

"We have sheep and every now and then people donate cattle to us. It's just a really good hands on experience."

That's the benefit of attending a school in the rural Highlands.

"And I think we have a lot of teachers who really know what they're doing," Lily said.

"They have a lot of experience."

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