Sarah Murphy and Byron Peszko
Winners at the recent 2023 Queensland Rural Ambassador Awards, a competition staged across Queensland Agricultural Shows, included Marburg’s Matthew Petty who took out the Community Spirit Award – a feather in the cap for the West Moreton and Brisbane Valley Ag Shows’ Sub Chamber.
Announced as part of a Celebration Dinner at Royal on the Park, Brisbane City, the award is given to the person who displays the values and principles which align with the spirit and traditions of the Queensland Rural Ambassador Awards and the movement going forward. Mr Petty, who owns and operates his business, Scenic Valley Contracting, specialises in general labouring, operation of civil and agricultural machinery, and domestic and rural maintenance services.
Matthew is also very involved with his family farm, breeds his own stud cattle which he exhibits at local shows and was the recipient of the Burnham Youth Award from the Brangus Society in 2017, in addition to exhibiting he has also judged cattle at a number of Ag Shows and assists with the prime cattle competition at the Ipswich Show.
Ekka Show Announcer Lyndsey Douglas commented upon meeting and congratulating 2023 winners Harrison Lehman and runner up Brianna Barron respectively, “The 2023 Queensland Rural Ambassador Awards State Finalists were ten of the finest examples of the next generation of agricultural leaders that I’ve ever met in one cohort, it was such a great group.” said Mr Douglas.
Harrison Lehman is the 2023 Queensland Rural Ambassador Winner, representing the Central Highlands Sub Chamber and the Alpha Show Society.
Originally from Inverell, New South Wales, Harrison moved to Alpha to accept a manager’s role within a large family beef cattle operation.
Harrison has a Cert III in Agriculture, is captain of Alpha’s rugby league team and is the Vice President of the Alpha Rodeo and Campdraft Committee.
Harrison said it was a privilege to be acknowledged at the QLD Rural Ambassador winner and it hasn’t really sunk in yet.
“I went up against the nine most amazing people I think I’ve ever met in my life and any one of us could have been standing here and Queensland definitely would have been proud,” said Harrison.
“But to come down here and represent Rural Australia and Queensland, is a huge privilege to all of us we really do have a strong passion for what we do and where we come from.
“Any chance we get to share with metropolitan areas about what we do and where we come from, we will give our everything.”
As the 2023 Queensland Rural Ambassador Awards Winner, Harrison will represent Queensland at the National Rural Ambassador final to be held at the Royal Melbourne Show in 2024.
Brianna Barron was the Rural Ambassador runner-up and said it was inspiring coming up against future leaders of the agriculture industry.
Representing the Darling Downs Sub Chamber and Cooyar Agricultural Society, Brianna works for Barron Bros Livestock, where she represents the next generation of this family cattle trading business.
She completed a Certificate III in Agriculture and is an accredited certifier for cattle tick inspection and on a community level, she is the Cooyar Show Secretary, Showgirl Coordinator and canteen coordinator, while also a member of the Cooyar Campdraft Society.
As the 2023 Queensland Rural Ambassador Awards Runner Up, Brianna will travel to South Australia in early September 2024 to experience the Royal Adelaide Show by participating in a Rural Ambassador Exchange program, kindly hosted by South Australian Country Shows.
