Click go the shears…

As the warm weather arrives, graziers know the shearing will have to start. This happened on 15 September for our small mobs of Merino and mixed sheep at the Trade Training Centre.

Students were able to enter the shearing shed at Junortoun and closely watch the shearing process. A few brave ones actually sheared some sheep, under the supervision of Trade Training Centre graduate and professional shearer Ryan Strawbridge. Others learnt to throw the fleeces onto the screen, clean them and judge them for strength and fineness, with the assistance of Nicole Davies, a local woolclasser.

“The boss of the board, with his eyes everywhere” was Gary Vaughan, a veteran farmer and grazier, who supervised the rouseabouts in keeping the floor clear and moving the sheep.

Shearing is hard work but very well-paying at the moment. Women and men get the same rate per fleece. Several of our Ag students are already shearers, or considering the trade.

Many thanks to Gary Vaughan, Nicole Davies and Ryan Strawbridge for sharing their expertise with our students.

Mr Scott Vaughan, Agriculture teacher