Cotton Australia Education Manager, Jenny Hughes, joined the Junior Judging Day in Blayney. The event, which was organised by NSW DPI, was held just before the Blayney Ag Show and brought together 140 high school Ag students from Bathurst, Orange, and nearby areas.

Among the participants were two promising individuals with direct ties to cotton farming: Fraser Gill, son of Andrew from Macquarie Valley, and Hugh Cleton, son of Paul from Hillston. Both not only earned ribbons for their expertise but also shared valuable insights from their firsthand experience in the cotton industry.

Many students weren't familiar with cotton farming, and this event gave them a chance to learn more. Some discussed potential summer job opportunities, while others shared future plans to study Agriculture.

Jenny Hughes developed criteria for judging cotton based on how it's classed attributes like colour, leaf content, staple length, and strength. This enabled cotton to be judged alongside more traditional agricultural commodities such as livestock, wool fleece, and horticulture.