‘Proud as punch’: Harry Lloyd claims national award

Mr Lloyd qualified for the honour after being named Victorian Rural Ambassador in 2025.

As part of the national final, held in Brisbane to coincide with the Ekka, finalists were required to give two off-the-cuff interviews on stage, with the questions tailored towards their individual backgrounds.

They also had private one-on-one interviews with the judges.

A highlight for Mr Lloyd, who is president of the Kyabram Show Society, was getting a tour of the Ekka.

“It was an incredible experience, I haven’t been to a show like it before,” he said.

Another highlight was the support that he received from fellow finalists, who he described as “mates”.

“We all supported each other and got around each other,” he said.

The support he received from the wider community while completing the program was also special to Mr Lloyd.

He said he felt “proud as punch” to be runner-up in the competition, adding it would not have been possible without the support of those around him.

“For me, I am the person today because of those who are around me my entire life,” he said.

“It (winning the award) made me feel proud of who I am and the people that got me there”.

Mr Lloyd said he decided to apply for the rural ambassador program to improve his public speaking skills, something he felt he achieved.

“I’m really proud of the person I’ve become through taking opportunities and saying yes throughout this program,” he said.

He was also proud to have his family attend the event, including fiancé Tess, who he met on the twelfth season of Farmer Wants A Wife in 2022.

He credited her with encouraging him to apply for the program.

Mr Lloyd currently works on a dairy farm across the road from his family farm in Kyabram.

Currently in calving season, he milks 200 cows a day, however, this can go up to 280.

He has ambitions to become involved in sharefarming in the future.

Highly passionate about the dairy industry, he would encourage others to become involved in the industry.

“It’s not an easy job a lot of the time; you’re in it because you love it,” he said.