Karoonda Farm Fair students compete in schools woolhandling event

The Schools Wool Harvesting competition was a tight contest throughout the heats, but it was a trio from Urrbrae Agricultural High School who picked up the major trophy at the end of the day.

Year 11 students Ebonee Harris, Peita Whitbread and Yasmin Elliott, all 16, were the winners on the day, after they threw, skirted and rolled three fleeces before tidying their table.

Despite hailing from agricultural backgrounds, Peita said the win was unexpected.

"We'd done a little bit of training through school but not a lot," she said.

"I have personal experience in the sheds which I've been doing for two years just through school holidays so I think that might've helped a bit as well.

"The pressure was more intense during the competition though, because we were conscious of our time, but it's also easier because you're only looking for one fleece from one shearer rather than when a shearing shed is really going."

Fellow competitor Katie Bell, also 16 and in Year 11 at Urrbrae, said her experience in a shearing shed gave her a sense of calm on the day.

"It's a different setting to a shed because you're not in that super busy, fast-paced environment," she said.

"You've got two hours per run and thousands of sheep so you're trying to push them through as quickly as possible which I think made me more calm going into the competition.

"I was a bit disappointed I wasn't able to throw the fleece today, but my small arms can't throw the big 12-month fleeces, so my team mate Shayla did that and she did a really good job."

Judge Graham Buchanan, Shearer Woolhandler Training, said the event was vital in bringing the next generation of shearers and woolhandlers through the ranks.

"It gives kids an initial introduction to the industry and insight on what might be involved," he said.

"The competition gives them a bit of confidence as well, but it's really the exposure and the understanding that it can be a career that's important.

"When they're young and keen they can go to the learner schools and understand what it's all about and this helps get them there."

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Mr Buchanan said although this year's numbers were down on previous competitions, he was hopeful there was a renewed excitement for the shearing shed brewing.

"We had a few schools miss out this year but we're looking forward to next year and seeing the skillset a new batch of students bring to the shed," he said.