Ross, who is studying at Harper Adams University, stood out due to his passion for dairy farming and interest in genomics.
The final awards judging was hosted at the Bath & West Showground in Somerset.
Richard Kallaway, the chair of the awards, said: “The quality and confidence shown by our finalists in their interviews was inspiring, but what really shone through was their passion for the industry.
“I say it every year, but these finalists continue to show that the industry will be in safe hands for many years to come.”
This year, the West Country Dairy Awards, which were established in 1925 to provide grants to people studying dairy-related training courses, distributed more than £22,000. The NFU is one of the sponsors of the awards, which are open to anyone living in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset or Dorset.
Ross has gained knowledge of the industry during his time at college, university and on his placement year.
He said: “The West Country Dairy Awards is a brilliant opportunity to help young people get into the dairy industry. I found this charity through good word of mouth, and the application process was very straightforward.
“The people that I met during finals alone are some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry. I would recommend this charity to all students. Thank you very much for the funding; it will all be put towards furthering my career in dairying.”
Ross is pictured with the other finalists Megan Hatch (Somerset), Lauren Frost (Somerset), Frank Weekes (Devon) and Ryan Sainsbury (Cornwall).