A DUCHY College agriculture student has been named the West Country’s top young dairy talent after winning a prestigious regional award.

Holly May picked up the West Country Dairy Award, along with a £2,000 prize and the competition’s distinctive dairy cow trophy.

The award recognises her achievements and growing passion for the dairy industry during her studies.

Holly said winning was a major honour and credited her time at Duchy College with helping her develop her career ambitions.

“This is a huge honour for me and something I am incredibly proud of,” she said. “The dairy industry has become a real passion of mine throughout my studies, and receiving this award feels like recognition not only of the work I have put in, but also of the people and opportunities that have helped me get to this point.

“Choosing Duchy College was one of the best decisions I could have made for my career.”

The award caps a period of study which has seen Holly develop her knowledge of agriculture while gaining practical experience and becoming increasingly involved in the dairy sector.

Her success also represents a strong showing for Duchy College at the West Country Dairy Awards, with fellow agriculture student Maddie also reaching the competition’s final.

Duchy College provides students with practical and academic training designed to prepare them for a range of roles across the agricultural sector.

The college is now encouraging anyone considering a career in agriculture to explore its courses, with places still available on its FdSc Agriculture degree through Clearing.

Holly added: “I’ve been so lucky to learn from and work alongside some fantastic people at Duchy, which is such a brilliant community. This award is a lovely reminder of how far I’ve come, and I’m excited to see where the next chapter takes me!”