Miss De Costa of Braidwood has a keen interest in whiteface cattle and the agricultural sector.

Her ambassadorship was announced at the Herefords Australia National Youth Heifer Show at Bathurst. 

She receives $1000 towards the cost of furthering her agricultural studies. The three other finalists were Jamie Hollis, Queensland, Emilie Lyons, Victoria, and Toby Linane, NSW.

Miss De Costa was also named as the recipient of a Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Foundation 2015 Community Futures grant in March. 

The grant, up to the value of $25,000, allowed her to partner with the Braidwood Showground Committee to replace the showground’s cattle yards.

Now into her second year of the degree she is also is the newly elected president of the Southern Hereford Youth Group.

“I grew up as a half townie-half country kid and got interested in breeding cattle after attending a few Hereford Youth workshops and heifer shows,’’ she said.

“It’s been an enjoyable journey and the Hereford breed has taken me a lot further than I ever imagined,” she said.

“We see in the saleyards the demand for Herefords is rising as more commercial breeders are seeing the benefits of the breed,’’ she said.

“A rapidly growing market for quality and safe beef is the Middle East and some of Australia’s Asian neighbours. Cattle with Hereford content are in good stead to meet this market for years to come.’’

Miss De Costa plans to attend local shows and bull sales to support the breed and members.

“In doing this I feel I would be giving something back to the mentors and industry that have assisted me to get where I am today,’’ she said.