NSW Competition Expands to 70 schools
Students from several of the 70 schools that are taking part this year in the NSW School Merino Wether Challenge. Also, pictured in the header above is Macquarie Anglican Grammar School, Dubbo.
This year’s NSW School Merino Wether Challenge is set to be the biggest year to date, with 70 schools from throughout NSW having signed up and more than 1,500 students involved at a school level. 500 of those students will converge on the Dubbo Showground on 27-28 August to present their wethers for judging on commercial value, before the wethers are sent to Fletchers International Exports.
The NSW challenge is organised in partnership with the NSW Stud Merino Breeders Association, the Dubbo National Ram Sale Association and AWI, with coordination and logistics provided by Bralca.
The challenge involves each school being allocated six wethers from the same age drop from Egelabra Merino Stud. Their allocated wethers were collected by each participating school in March from three locations: Narromine Saleyards, Armidale Saleyards, and Charles Sturt University’s campus at Wagga Wagga.
Training days are being held throughout the course of the six-month challenge to provide ongoing assistance to school staff and students in caring for their team of wethers, as well as helping to develop industry skills and knowledge. 200 students will attend CSU Wagga Wagga campus on 19 June for a hands-on mid-challenge workshop.
While in Dubbo for the competition judging in August, the students will also have the opportunity to participate in activities to learn more about sheep handling, scanning and nutrition, and wool harvesting, while also hearing from a careers panel about the wide range of opportunities in the industry. A young judges’ competition will also enable the students to put their skills to the test, with entries available through the Dubbo National Ram Show and Sale Association.
More information: www.facebook.com/dubboschoolwetherchallenge
Australian Wool Innovation, www.facebook.com/dubboschoolwetherchallenge
https://www.wool.com/news-events/beyond-the-bale/issue-99-june-2024/merino-wether-challenge/
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