Rob Hayward, 27, received the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) of NSW Youth Medal for his contribution, presented by the Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty. Ms Moriarty also joined the show's vets as they kicked off their daily around-the-show animal health briefing.

While the presentation was a relatively low-key affair, Mr Hayward's contribution has been anything but, with his encouragement of student vets at the show having begun in 2016.

It was at this time Mr Hayward became the head student vet, and as part of his role would bring a couple of student vets along with him to the show each day to give them a taste of life at the 'Royal' while also being exposed to the range of animals at the event.

Mr Hayward has since passed on the baton of head student vet, having graduated from The University of Sydney and become an official show vet.

As such, he returns each year to help the veterinarian team with their varied workload at the show.

While hailing originally from Bathurst, Mr Hayward has for the past three years called Quirindi home. He also has had a long involvement in the show as a competitor on the school sheep team (Texels and Border Leicesters) with All Saints, Bathurst, but kicked off his show career as the bagpiper for the Shetland ponies.

Ms Moriarty emphasised the importance of vets and their role at the Sydney Royal, as well as the need more broadly to encourage more people into the profession.

This was in part due to an acknowledged shortage in vets outside of the small animal sector.