ENCOURAGING the next generation and the future of the sheep breeding industry was the focus of the Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) Future Sheep Breeders Challenge at this year's IGA Perth Royal Show.
The competition began in March with students from WA Colleges of Agriculture, Narrogin, Denmark, Harvey and Cunderdin, Esperance Training Centre and Kiara College, selecting a team of wethers to prepare for the show ring from the House family's Barloo Merino and Poll Merino stud, Gnowangerup.
After looking after the sheep at school, each team of students selected four wethers for the competition.
The contest was made up of two classes, one involving presentation and handling and the other measuring wool and meat yield commercial value to give a combined score for the best overall efforts.
The idea behind the challenge is to help students learn about show preparation and feeding for Merinos, with each school allocated a respected stud breeder in the role of mentor to the students participating.
It was the team made up of Haidee Boxer, Lauren Rayner, James Batterbee and Emma Bentley from WA College of Agriculture, Narrogin, which took out the overall Future Sheep Breeders prize, backing up last year's win with the school awarded first place in both the measurement and preparation classes.
Second place went to WA College of Agriculture, Cunderdin and third was awarded to WA College of Agriculture, Denmark.
The winning students said they loved the competition which was a fantastic learning experience and recommended other colleges to get involved.
Stud Merino Breeders' Association of WA committee member and competition organiser Grantly Mullan, Eastville Park, Dudinin, said the competition was a great initiative that shows the students involved the commercial value of looking after your sheep.
"It's about demonstrating the dollar value benefits of getting your lambs to a better weight early on," Mr Mullan said.
"And giving a focus to wool, especially considering the current prices.
"All schools presented their show teams very well.
"It was clear the sheep had been well looked after by the students, which was excellent to see.
"But in the end, Narrogin came out on top with a fractionally better wool cut and body weight which resulted in more dollars per head in the team presented."
Mr Mullan said all students who participated in the challenge deserved congratulations for their hard work throughout the year.
