Yass grazier-in-training Joe Walden has jointly won the Peter Westblade Scholarship for 2018.

Mr Walden was announced as a 2018 recipient of the sheep and wool industry scholarship alongside Anna Cotton, who works on her family’s farm in Swansea, Tasmania.

The scholarship will help Mr Walden, formerly of Braidwood and currently at Cavan Station, home of Bogo Merinos, Yass, to pursue his dream of someday owning his own property. 

Mr Walden said he was “sorta shocked” but extremely pleased to hear his name announced. “I couldn’t really believe it,” he said. “I was just excited and can’t really describe how happy I was.”

The scholarship was first awarded in 2012 and was set up to honour the memory of Peter Westblade, who passed away in 2008, who built up one of the most successful merino properties in Australia. 

It’s a success to which Mr Walden also aspires. “Hopefully one day I’ll have my own farm … just own it and manage it,” he said. 

The scholarship will “drive my career forward into the merino industry. [I’ll be able to] network with different people and different contexts and gain more experience within the industry.”

Mr Walden is particularly interested in the use of technology to capture data for analysis.

The 23-year-old was spurred to apply for the scholarship by Bogo manager Malcolm Peake and Matt Crozier, and surprised himself with his success, progressing through several rounds of selection.

Scholarship treasurer Sally Martin said the committee faced a difficult decision in deciding the 2018 recipients.

“The applicants were all outstanding as a whole,’’ Ms Martin said. “If we can encourage more young men and women of this calibre into the industry, it will certainly improve the outlook going forward.’’