Several Horsham groups and individuals performed strongly, with one well-known face walking away with a highly-coveted prize.

Entrepreneur Bart Turgoose,17, won the Young Legends Award at the ceremony.

Mr Turgoose said he was thrilled to have won the award which acknowledged his volunteer work in the Wimmera.

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He said he was a grants coordinator for Minyip Murtoa Football Club, an executive member at West Vic Business, and a member of Horsham's youth council.

"I do volunteer work because I like to make a change, and create positive outcomes for the community," he said.

Mr Turgoose said an inspirational figure for him was his grandfather who volunteered with numerous organisations in the Wimmera.

"The next fundraiser I am involved in is The Natimuk & District Field & Game Shoot for Cancer," he said.

"The idea for the event is to receive donations from local businesses and to raise money for cancer research.

"As of today we sit at $80,459 worth of goods donated. I am proud to be a part of this event which is happening on August 14."

Mr Turgoose said the fundraiser was personal for him because his grandfather had died from cancer.

"He was heavily involved in the community, and his passing affected numerous people in the community, including myself," he said.

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Mr Turgoose said he started his first business in early 2014, that helped fishers at the Horsham Fishing competition.

"I started a business selling worm castings to my neighbors for their gardens. I would load up the castings in a wheelbarrow and go around to each house dishing it out for them to use," he said.

"After a little while, the worms kept breeding so I began selling containers of them too. That was when my business named the 'Worm King' was established.

"I branched out to selling worms at the local Horsham Fishing competition, which I am now a committee member."

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Horsham Agricultural Society, meanwhile, received a highly commended category at the ceremony for their work in the municipality.

Executive officer Andrea Cross said the society was nominated in a Community Health Wellbeing and Interest award.

"The award relates to us as an organisation. We work with local employment agencies such as the Work for the Dole program," she said.

Ms Cross said Tidy Towns committee judges also gave praise for the agricultural society's 150km feast and the work they had done during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

"The society worked to improve the mental health of people throughout the lockdown, by hosting a virtual show day," she said.

Horsham Tidy Towns committee also travelled to Hastings to attend the awards ceremony and were nominated for a sustainability in energy and water conservation award.

Despite not winning the main prize, chair David Eltringham said the group were delighted with their experiences.

"We were able to speak to a variety of communities from around Australia, and talk about some of the work they had done," he said.

"I also made a presentation about life in Horsham that was well received."

Mr Eltringham said Horsham Tidy Towns committee members planned to collaborate with Horsham Cemetery Trust.

"We are also trying to encourage school children in the Horsham to get involved in some of the programs we offer," he said.

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