This year’s Farm & Country Competition was dominated by an eight-year-old whose photographic skills wowed the judges.

Entries were welcomed from the 1500 Cornish primary school children after they attended the Farm & Country Days educational event held in March that is jointly staged by the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association and Cornwall Food & Farming Group.

This year the competition required pupils to take and submit images to represent three relevant categories; farm animals, crops and machinery and the countryside.

Elisabeth O’Dea, a pupil from Nancledra primary school, near Penzance, won the farm animals category with a portrait of a dairy calf.

The runner-up prizes were awarded to Riley Walton from Stithians primary school for his photo of ducks and to Sennen Hosenie from Sithney primary school for her image of some pigs.

Elisabeth’s also secured the top prize in the crops and machinery category with a close-up photo of fodder beet that showed “colour and texture that conveyed sense of mass.”

Ethan Reed, aged eight from Stithians primary school was the runner-up with his tractor photo that the judges felt encapsulated “the business of farming.”

Amelia Padmore from Cusgarne primary school won the countryside category with her image of the fields surrounding Mabe Church. The judges commented that the shot had “variety, diversity, story – everything.”

Jake Gregor from Kehelland village school was named runner-up for his “excellent composition” depicting a potato field along with Delia Lawrence from Wadebridge Primary Academy with her stunning rural landscape.

Elisabeth’s striking calf image was chosen as the overall winner. Judge and professional photographer Jeremy Northcott was impressed by the detail and lighting and capturing the calf’s “cheeky, curious natural look.”

This year’s Royal Cornwall Show president, Rt Revd Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro, presented Elisabeth with the Farm & Country Trophy, book tokens and a £50 Rocket Garden voucher for her school at the event.

For more information about the Farm & Country Days please contact Steve Michell on 01208 817010 or email: stevemichell@royalcornwall.co.uk