RAS Foundation Chair and RAS Councillor, Robyn Clubb AM, will be stepping down from her roles at the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) this week following just over three decades of service. As the first woman elected to the RAS Council in 1993, Clubb has been a steadfast force within the not-for-profit agricultural and event organisation.

The future of the Australian wine industry is looking bright, thanks to this year’s Sydney Royal Wine Study and Sydney Royal Wine Professional Development scholarship recipients who travelled to Sydney last week to assist in one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious wine shows.

Over 1,700 Australian wines will undergo judging this week as the Sydney Royal Wine Show gets underway at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.

Communication and Journalism students passionate about working within regional or rural media are being encouraged to apply for the RAS Foundation’s JB Fairfax Award for Regional & Rural Journalism and Communications for a guaranteed leg-up in their career. The national scholarship, now in its 16th year, provides an unbeatable opportunity for aspiring rural communicators with a $10,000 cash prize and three internships up for grabs with Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Landline in Brisbane, Australian Community Media’s rural publication The Land, and in the media team at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Investing in the future of rural and regional communities, the RAS Foundation has selected a record 91 students for its 2024 Rural Scholarship program. Now in its 14th year, the RAS Foundation Rural Scholarship program offers financial support to tertiary education students who are helping shape the future of regional NSW by forging careers within rural or regional communities. Record funds of $516,000 will be distributed among this year’s scholarship recipients, with an aim to help ease the burdens associated with pursuing higher education such as relocating to urban centres, study costs, and the inability to work consistently due to study workloads or placements.

Christmas has come early for twenty regional communities, as pallets of presents were delivered to local Show Societies in a partnership between the RAS Foundation, Good360 and AgShows NSW.

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) will venture into the world of distilled spirits for the first time since 1981 next year as it launches its inaugural stand-alone Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show.