WA'S inaugural Young Dairy Farmer of the Year Lachlan Fry, who is about to turn 25, is one of the most unassuming award winners you could meet.
He was obviously honoured but humble in accepting the award in the dairy farm owner/operator category at the WAFarmers dairy industry dinner in Bunbury last month.
Appearing slightly shocked to be chosen from a stellar cast of confident finalists, he remembered to thank award sponsor Brownes Dairy and award organiser Western Dairy, and to congratulate the other five finalists on their efforts.
He expressed a passion for cattle, particularly dairy cows, and a confidence in the future of WA's dairy industry.
But behind the laid-back, unassuming country boy persona is a determination to succeed, a preparedness to push beyond his comfort zone and an analytical mind quick to assess options without allowing emotion or sentiment to cloud judgement.
His farming situation is a perfect example of his attitude.
The family surname is synonymous with cattle and dairying in the Brunswick region, his mother was a Giglia, from another famous dairy family, and Fry forebears settled at Benger in 1894.
Lachlan, older brother Tyson and younger brother Corbin grew up on a 400-cow dairy farm run by his grandparents Peter and Jenny and then his parents Don and Lorelle.
But as he finished school and started work as a farm hand, the farm was sold, apart from a 20-hectare home block where he lives.
His parents leased a smaller farm straddling the Brunswick River, at nearby Brunswick Junction, and Mr Fry, who returned to the farm full time in 2014, operates a dairy platform on the partially-irrigated 100ha property with his younger sibling.
They milk a registered herd of 140 cows - 12 Brown Swiss and the rest "a 50/50 split" of Holsteins and Jerseys and supply Lion Dairy and Drinks, Mr Fry said.
The herd is on irrigated pasture October to May and fed home-grown silage through summer and autumn.
Milkers receive a generous ration of up to 12 kilograms of pellets a day.
"I know that sounds a lot, but if you want the production out of the cows you have to feed them," he said.
They operate Katandra Park Stud for the three breeds from the farm and run dry cows, heifers and some beef cattle on two lease blocks less than 20 minutes away.
"My parents are also partners in a real estate business so they've stepped back from the farm," Mr Fry said.
"Basically we're still employed by my parents but Corbin and I do all the work and I've taken over a lot more of the financial side of the business.
"I'm passionate about the cattle side of it and Corbin is very good with machinery, so it's a good mix."
He hopes to continue working with his brother, but realises the farm may not be big enough to support both of them.
"We'd like to get up to about 300 cows but we can't do that on this property so we are looking at the options for growth,'' he said.
"We are in the transition stage at the moment and some of the big steps will be taken soon."
Mr Fry, who has a Bachelor degree in commerce majoring in management, is assessing whether to buy or lease, and what and where.
They have a good relationship with the farm owners where they are and would like the farm to remain part of their enterprise, but the infrastructure needs upgrading - Mr Fry milks in an old eight-a-side double-up herringbone dairy.
A new dairy would be nice he admits, but it is a lesser priority to good farming land and improving the herd genetics.
"You work with what you've got available," he said.
"Sentiment puts a value on owning something, but at the end of the day it might not be possible and leasing may be a better, more cost-efficient proposition which frees capital for herd improvement."
Young Dairy Farmer of the Year was not the first award Mr Fry has won.
In 2011 he won the Semex-Holstein Australia Youth Fellowship Award, put his degree studies on hold, and spent six months working on dairy farms in Canada.
"That was awesome, so different to the Australian dairy industry - what they do and how they manage their herds," he said.
In 2007 he won the highest achiever award at the WA Youth Cattle Handlers Camp at Brunswick Junction showgrounds.
For the past eight years he has returned to help run the annual camp as a volunteer and as chairman for the past three years, demonstrating a willingness to contribute to the future of his industry.
He has also been WA's representative on Holstein Australia's national youth program for about five years.
Apart from winning awards, Mr Fry has also experienced success in the show ring with beef and dairy cattle, having shown since he was old enough to hold onto a lead rope.
"I've won the State final at the Perth Royal Show a couple of times," he said.
He is also establishing himself as a cattle judge at regional, interstate and breed shows.
He won the National Dairy Junior Judging final held in New Zealand in 2013.
Last year he was an associate judge at the Holstein Australia National Herd Development Winter Fair in Bendigo, Victoria - a pinnacle show for Holstein breeders.
He has been invited to judge Jersey and interbreeds at the Adelaide Royal Show in September.
"It's the first time I've been invited to judge in a lead role at any of the Royals so I'm really chuffed about that," Mr Fry said.
He has tried a career other than dairying.
"I did an 18-month traineeship with Landmark in their livestock and breeding section and I really enjoyed it," he said.
"But I realised dairying was what I really wanted to do - to be my own boss.
"Not everyone is going to be an advocate for the industry.
"But I love it, it's what I want to do, I see a good future in it because we all need dairy foods, and I want to be an advocate for dairy."
His commitment and particpation level are based on a simple philosophy.
"You only get one lifetime so you better make the best use of it you can," he said.