Matt Campion to compete at the Royal Easter Show in junior judging

Four years ago the 15 year old would have qualified to compete in junior judging stud cattle, but was too young.

In March Matt re-qualified for the competition by winning regionals in Armidale. This time he's over the minimum age of 18 and will be going down to Sydney later this month.

According to mum Wendy there are always dozens of competitors at the regionals competition, and he beat about 25 for the opportunity. Only first and second qualify.

Fortunately the 19 year old grew up on a farm, with parents Wendy and Mark owning the renowned hereford stud at Amos-Vale and a number of other local properties. He's spent his entire life around cattle, he says. The family has two bulls to be shown at the Royal Easter; he gives a lot of credit to his dad, who taught him everything he knows about cattle, he said. (Mark himself has been a judge at shows like the Guyra show in the distant past.)

A life on the land puts him in good stead for picking and choosing the beasts.

Could he win?

"I'm not sure," he said wryly. (His mum is equally cagey, saying he has the same chance as the other people judging on the day).

"I feel my strong point is in the oral class because I can speak quite well about what I believe in."

It's not just about which of the four beasts you choose (there's "an art" to picking not just the ones you think are best but that the judge will in a sport with a lot of potential subjectivity, he said). But you get two minutes to justify your choice, which counts for half your grade. Matt says he's particularly adept at the gab.

"If I don't agree with the judge, I can usually tell her or him why I put the specific animal in front."

It's not the only time he's been to a national-level competition, winning silver for steeplechase at the NSW Junior Athletics Championships last year and qualifying for Nationals. He made the NSW state cross country team as early as 2016. He came fifth at Nationals in 2017 and fourth at national athletics, and was state champion for steeplechase before then.

​Could he make Commonwealth games material?

"Everyone is asked me that hey," he said

"I not sure like it's alright to say you're good as a school kid, but to make the jump up to Elites is incredible.

"You watch Luke Matthews and Ryan Gregson - they're the best in Australia - run and it's just insane.

"I'd love to though like travel around the world - just run around the world basically. Be cool. I'm not sure."

The RAS/ASC Beef Cattle Young Judges Competition State Final will run at 8:00am Monday April 15 at the Sydney cattle greens at the Royal Easter Show.

Win lose or draw his mum is proud of the 19 year old "as proud as any parents would be".