Inspired to inspiring, Sophie reveals importance of rural shows like Candelo

Now at 25, Sophie is representing the district as the Rural Young Woman for the 2024 Candelo Show on Sunday, January 21, an honour allowing her to encourage young women to explore careers in agriculture.

"I don't think I missed one until maybe 2016 or '17 when I sort of finished school and moved away for a couple of years, but it's been a really big part of my family's January for many years," Sophie said.

Reminiscing about the importance of rural shows and how they inspired her childhood, Sophie said the show built an excitement around using seasonal and local produce for cooking which often was grown at home, and by the age of 12, she ranked top 50 of Junior Masterchef.

"Maybe, looking back, Candelo Show did inspire my Junior Masterchef adventure," she said with a laugh, even winning equal first for her iced cake at the 125^th show.

"I've grown up in the ag industry, around beef and dairy farms, and have always been quite involved with my campdraft horses, so I think as you sort of grow up and look back, you do realise how important our rural shows are.

"At the end of the day it's how the food that's on their plate everyday gets there, and it's a very important thing that we need to be able to aiming for."

Organised by The Candelo Agricultural, Horticultural and Dairy Farmers Association Inc, gates open at Candelo Showground from 7am, January 21, and the event will host a range of activities for the whole family.

There will be dairy and commercial cattle, goats, and poultry exhibitions.

The pavilion will show local produce, crafts and arts, and there will be showjumping, woodchopping, and a dog jump competition, and an animal nursery will provide children real hands-on experience with farm animals.

Adults $12, high school students $2, primary school and younger free.

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