AN “extremely driven” Powys student has claimed a top honour at the Royal Welsh Show.

Elin Protheroe, 21, was jointly awarded the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s (RWAS) Student of the Year accolade on Tuesday, July 19. The Beulah girl shares the honour with Hefin Lloyd Owen from Llanrwst, in Conwy.

Each year the RWAS presents promising students and rising stars with awards and scholarships which recognise their talent and pays tribute to their enthusiasm and dedication to Welsh agriculture.

The annual Student of the Year award is open to students who have completed NVQ Level III or the BTEC ND/NC, C&G certificate/diploma courses in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, animal nursing, horse management, countryside management, or other land-based related management courses.

Judges Joy Smith and Professor E Wynne Jones praised the exceptional standard of each candidate. In a tough decision, they decided Elin and Hefin could not be separated and made them joint winners. She was presented with her award by show president Harry Fetherstonhaugh.

“What struck us about the two extremely able individuals is that they are taking full control of their future career aspirations and educational opportunities,” the judges said.

“They both have great thought and ambition about their future roles within the agricultural and food industry in Wales.

“Elin has a huge passion for the industry, she is an extremely driven and capable individual. Hefin showed us he is a mature, knowledgeable and hugely motivated person. We were impressed at their ability to discuss issues in a very informative and mature manner.”

Elin, who has ambitions of one day taking over the family farm, was encouraged from a very young age to take part in all farm activities. Initially, she would watch the shearing from the comfort of the wool sheets as a toddler, before being promoted to lamb marking and tagging as she became older. Her roles now encompass feeding cattle and sheep, general husbandry tasks and all the paperwork and form-filling that accompanies modern farming. Elin finds the most rewarding part of the industry is aiding new life into the world and taking care of these animals until the day comes for them to leave the farm.

It’s been a year to remember for Newtown College student Elin, who collected the 2021 Lantra Learner of the Year in March.

The prestigious award is given to students under 20 who are developing a career within the environmental and land-based industries who have shown a commitment to vocational education and training since leaving school.

Elin has just completed her second year of a HND agriculture course and is hoping to travel across the world to gain new experiences, particularly in Australia and New Zealand.

Agriculture lecturer Katherine Jones, who nominated Elin for the Lantra award, said: “Elin has shown excellent commitment to her course despite all the challenges that we have faced in the last 18 months.

“She is heavily involved in her family farm and secretary of her local YFC group. In college she is very attentive, participates fully and always gets involved in class debates posing interesting questions and theories.”

Elin also received high praise in 2021 as a former Coleg Cambria student; she graduated with a Level 3 extended diploma distinction in agriculture and was complimented for making strides in her own career while encouraging more young ladies to follow her into the industry.