Mansfield success at group finals in 2025

MANSFIELD was well represented at the Central & Upper Goulburn Group finals on Sunday March 30 at Kyneton with several entries including our junior and rural ambassadors.
The Mansfield A&P Society was vying with nine other show societies for the opportunity to compete in the VAS Ltd state finals at the Melbourne Royal as well as other non-VAS categories. 
Representing Mansfield in the junior ambassador was Connor McFadden who was up against several other impressive young people but did us proud with his presentation and enthusiasm for rural communities.
Bella Gilbert from the Lilydale show society will represent the group at the state finals at the VAS Convention to be held in Bendigo in July.
Mansfield's Annie Marquison will be following in the steps of our local winner from 2024, Nicci Teitge, to represent us and the group at the Royal Melbourne in September, so we look forward to that. 
Annie presented an impromptu speech over lunch on the topic "Describe the driving factors behind the widening gap between rural and urban communities" which was challenging but she did a really great effort.
This year Mansfield upped the ante in the cookery classes after no success at group level last year with Carly Marshall taking out the VAS Junior Boiled Fruit Cake prize and the chance to compete at the state final at the Royal Melbourne family. Well done Carly.
In the group only qualifiers, our other young bakers did well with two seconds.
Zara Miekle in the under 14 scones and her cousin Amelia Clegg in the open scones.
In the needlework Margaret Blackburn from Benalla who is a regular exhibitor at Mansfield Show won first prize with her beautiful crochet baby's jacket in the group only final. 
In the group only beanie category Merran Stuart took out second place with her entry. 
​To our other exhibitors well done on making it to the group final and we look forward to seeing your entries for the 2025 Mansfield Show on November 15.
It was also excellent to have some Mansfield people travel to Kyneton and join us for lunch. 
A big thank you to the Central & Upper Goulburn Group for organising everything. 
The Kyneton show society volunteers did an excellent job setting up the venue for judging and a much-appreciated luncheon spread. 
 

Our Rural Ambassador Annie Marquison with our Junior Ambassador at the group finals at Kyneton.