Ambassador Sammy advocates for agriculture

SAMMY Spark, 27, is an Associate Veterinarian at Gippsland Veterinary Group, resides in Inverloch and is a strong advocate for agriculture.  

Sammy is a committee member, media liaison and general helper for the Foster Show Society. 

She is also their Rural Ambassador and representative for the Central and South Gippsland Group in the Rural Ambassador Awards. 

The Rural Ambassador Award is a national competition for people aged between 20-30, to promote the future generation of shows, youth and agriculture. 

The award celebrates the achievements of rural and regional youth. It aims to engage young people across local communities and advocate for agricultural shows. 

“I think it is a key part in keeping our local shows alive, promoting the next generation as leaders in their community,” she said.

“I wanted to be a Rural Ambassador for the Foster Show as an opportunity to further my involvement in my community and represent my local show which I am very proud of.”

The Foster Show, held in February this year was attended by more than 2700 people. 

The show holds a dynamic range of events such as the dog high jump, the Young Farmers Challenge, woodchop, and sheep/goat display. 

A highlight each year is the Rural Ambassador program. 

“I had to do an on-stage interview and was successful in attending the next stage at the Lang Lang group final. Here I competed against three other finalists with an interview with three judges, and a speech to the audience on ‘What impact does my local agricultural show have on the community?’

“I highlighted that the Foster Show is a true country show, around for over 115 years. Shows have economic and social impacts on the community,” Sammy said. 

While Sammy grew up in NSW and didn’t originally come from an agricultural background, the local agricultural show played a role in helping to shape her future career in agriculture as a large animal veterinarian. 

“I want to use Rural Ambassador as a chance to encourage people like myself, who may not be from an agricultural background, or even people who are not from a rural background, to recognise the opportunities agriculture and rural regions provide. I want to share my enthusiasm for rural communities, and it is a way to give back.”

Sammy believes the progressive agriculture industry is a field that offers many great careers for young people. 

“Agriculture is a diverse industry with thousands of opportunities. It is dynamic and ever-changing, modernising, and will always play a key role in our lives. People working in the agricultural industry are contributing to a sustainable future for all Australians. 

“It is an exciting field, from farmers on the ground, scientists, engineers, veterinarians, government roles, and so much more. We need young people to be excited about Agriculture too, to keep the industry progressing.”

The next stage for Sammy in the Rural Ambassador Awards, is the Melbourne Royal Show in September. Sammy is excited about continuing the journey of advocating for agriculture.