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Giorgi Ambassador finalist

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Kirstin Nicholson, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Presenting ribbons to champion terriers, sorting grain, rubbing shoulders with racing’s greats and fine dining were all part of Giorgi Boucher’s Melbourne Royal Show experience last weekend. Giorgi wasn’t there purely for the thrill of the show, though, she was there for the Rural Ambassador Award state finals.

Giorgi won the Rural Ambassador Award at the Cohuna Show in March, then won at the Northern District Agricultural Shows Association regional finals. Last week, she spent three days at the Melbourne Royal Show, along with nine fellow ambassadors from across Victoria as part of the state final.

Alexandra Pattinson from Foster Show was the winner and Katherine Bain from Beaufort Show was the runner up.

We caught up with Giorgi following her whirlwind experience.

What was involved in the lead-up to the state final at the Melbourne Royal Show?

In the lead-up to Melbourne, we attended an information day where we were introduced to our fellow finalists and workshopped our public speaking skills. At this information day, we were given our speech topic, “If your show was to ask your advice on how to attract more volunteers, what would it be?” We had a month and a half to draft, compile and practice our speech for presentation at the Melbourne Royal Show. We also submitted a cover letter and resume for the judges.

What did you do at the Melbourne Royal Show as part of the Rural Ambassador program?

Day one of the show consisted mainly of our interviews in front of a 3-judge panel. This gave them the opportunity to ask us questions on our community involvement, career aspirations and our opinions on industry challenges. Afterwards, we had the chance to network further with the competitors and the Melbourne Royal Emerging Leaders Board, which organised the competition.

Day two was a chance to see the show a little more. I had the privilege of presenting ribbons to the winners in the Australian Terrier Judging at the Dog Pavilion. We sat in on some informative workshops on topics such as sponsorship proposals, not for profit organisations, public speaking and networking, all presented by some incredible people like Danyel Cucinotta, the vice president of the Victorian Farmers Federation and Jane Wong, Food and Beverage Awards Manager of Melbourne Royal. That night, we competed in the Young Farmers Challenge State Final – a time trial consisting of a quiz, putting out a fire, sorting grain, rolling a round bale back to the finish line, and much more! (Stay tuned, this event may be coming to a show near you!)

Day three was presentation day. Each competitor presented their speech to a crowd and then enjoyed the Agri Chat panel on the topic of ‘Life After Racing’, hearing the retirement journey of some of our favourite racers with Casey Bruce, Melissa Ware and JD Hayes. We then sat down at the presentation luncheon and the winners were announced.

What did you gain personally from the experience?

While the weekend was nothing short of exhausting, I was so thankful for the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best in the industry, my fellow competitors included. The lessons and connections we took away for this experience will stay with us for a very long time.

What would you say to anyone who has doubts about entering the Rural Ambassador Award at their local show?

If you’re considering taking part in the Rural Ambassador Award and are having doubts, I strongly suggest giving it a go. Even though I might not have walked away with the top job, I am in no way disappointed and feel like a winner with the friendships I have gained and opportunities that await me in the future. We all have that little person in our head that says, “You’ve got no chance.” I was able to rise above that self-doubt with the incredible support that I had behind me from the Cohuna Show, my family and then some. I would be honoured to pass on this support to someone else if they need it.

The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper 29 September 2022

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 29 September 2022.

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