Finley High School were all smiles after winning the most successful school exhibitor and also taking out the reserve champion ewe at the Poll Dorset championships in Cowra.
It was the first time the school had exhibited at the event.
Agriculture teacher Gary Webb said the show had been on the school's radar for a few years and this year brought a team of seven students to show 13 exhibits.
"We had a great day," he said.
"We find preparing ewes is more our forte, it's hard for rams particularly when you're competing against all the really big studs.
"But the ewes looked fantastic and we had a beautiful ewe there that went on to be reserve - it was very exciting."
Mr Webb said the Frost family's Hillden Poll Dorset stud, Bannister, had been a great supporter of the school and they had been using semen from the stud for several years.
The reserve champion ewe was by Hillden 800-08.
The school joined about 25 Poll Dorset ewes each year and sold about 8 to 10 rams locally, mostly as flock rams, he said.
"As well as the sheep, our biggest thing is we have a lot of Shorthorn cattle," Mr Webb said.
"We do quite well with our Shorthorn cattle, go to a lot of shows as well, and a lot of carcase animals.
"This year it could be between 16 and 18 steers as carcase animals for the Melbourne Show."
Mr Webb said the school hand fed the stock year-round but a poor season could impact local farmers and their ability to donate hay to the program.
"Whilst it was dry a while ago after sowing we had 50mm of rain just last week - it's fantastic now, looking really, really good," he said.
He praised the school's farm assistant, Gordon Close, for his efforts in helping to prepare the sheep, and said the support from artificial insemination companies, shearers, and farmers was hugely important.
Ag teacher Robyn O'Leary said being in the show team equipped the students with a range of skills, including the confidence to communicate with different people.
"We try and give every kid that's interested in exhibiting cattle or sheep that opportunity, whether or not they're studying ag," she said.
"We feel it's an important skill, so many of the kids that go on out in the workforce will come back and say to us how great it was doing ag, doing junior judging.
"Our kids are not afraid to go up to someone and say, 'we really like your sheep, what are the chance of getting the semen in that ram'."
Having students understand where food and fibre came from was another important aspect, she said.
"It's 21 years since we started our stud and it's been a long way and it's been a long grind," she said.
"Persistence and perseverance pays off."
Judge Garry Armstrong, Armdale Park, Marrar, said the ewe was a good type.
"Finley would have been absolutely stoked," he said.
"She was a really good ewe, she was right up there and they had her presented really well.
"She looked the part on the day."
Secretary Roger Traves said it was great to see the school compete against some of the bugger studs and take home reserve champion.
He hoped it would encourage more schools to consider entering the competition.
Rebecca Nadge
Bec is livestock editor for The Land based in Orange. She has previously worked for Stock & Land in Victoria, the ABC in Kununurra, and newspapers in Kalgoorlie and New Zealand. Contact her at bec.nadge@theland.com.au
Bec is livestock editor for The Land based in Orange. She has previously worked for Stock & Land in Victoria, the ABC in Kununurra, and newspapers in Kalgoorlie and New Zealand. Contact her at bec.nadge@theland.com.au
