Three Things 'Ewe' Didn't Know About The Wool Industry

This post is presented in partnership with the National Merino Challenge.

'Ewe' wouldn’t believe it.

It’s a challenge unlike any other: two days, 140 participants and weeks of prior preparation all leading towards one weekend that hopefully ignites sparks for future careers.

Held in an Olympic-sized venue, it summons young people from across the country; their faces painted with determination as they listen intently to trainers and put their studies into practice. Of course, it's AWI’s National Merino Challenge, which took place on 14 and 15 May at Sydney Showground.

The National Merino Challenge (NMC) introduces students to “a fibre with endless possibilities”, with students completing activities ranging from appraisal to sheep management. However, after catching up with two challengers - secondary student Tessa and uni student Timothy - it became apparent that this challenge was so much more.

Tim & Tessa

Photo: Cassie Ngurah.

Both challengers grew up on sheep properties; Timothy, on a family farm in Central Northern New South Wales with a self-replacing flock of Merinos, whilst Tessa hails from a Corriedale background in South Eastern Victoria.

Whilst they have different long-term aims, both shared the same passion as they spoke with Student Edge.

With their help and a whole day spent at the challenge, here are three things we learned about the wool industry:

1. Technology and innovation plays a massive part in wool.

What do sheep and young people have in common? Both are apparently leading Australia into the future. As we witnessed at the NMC, the “fibre with endless possibilities” continues to enthral and enthuse, leading the way with STEM and revolutionising the fashion industry. As our two challengers argued, forward-thinking young minds are the key to innovation within wool sectors.

“We’ve grown up with technology; we’ve built it and we’ve come up with it," Tessa said.

"We ensure that we’re as productive as possible and without the negatives like emissions."

“[The NMC] is a good mix of the new technologies that are coming in and there were things that I had to study regarding tech before today and put into practice, which was great,” Timothy added.

There’s more to it than just breeding and raising sheep, however. The industry is complex and diverse, with careers not just in the paddocks but also corporate centres. The weekend gave challengers the opportunity to envision their futures in wool and open doors.

When talking about the trainers and industry leaders present, Tessa told Student Edge “You can see yourself in their shoes in five years or 10 years’ time. It’s exciting for us.”

Cloudy

2. Come on ladies, now let’s get in formation. Women are wool industry leaders.

“The biggest thing that’s changed in our industry, and that I’ve noticed, is the number of women here,” noted Timothy. “You have this traditional view of the male stud master and farmers but there’s a vast number of women here. It’s great.”

Tessa went on to say, “regardless of where you come from or what you do with sheep, there’s something for everyone.”

Not only is she a leader of her school’s sheep showing team and running her own sheep stud back at home, but Tessa was this year’s Secondary Division Champion. She highlights the strength of young women in the industry and the potential for women within wool. Not too baaaaad, girl.

Beyonce

3. We’re all in this together.

For Tessa, the challenge is not only broadening her horizons but it helping her entire community.

“We’ll take what we’ve learnt back to our school, to the other students involved from 7-12, and take it back to the four schools in the area,” she said. “We’ll improve our own studs and the schools in the area. It’s a community activity.”

Meanwhile, Timothy believes the industry represents openness, thanks to its community feeling. "The small community we have - from producers, to the sellers, the supply chain, to the mills in China - everyone works together to produce a product. At the [NMC] dinner, we were able to sit down with industry leaders and ask relevant questions like mates.”

HSM