School Merino Wethers Competition

Celebrating 11 Years of the School Merino Wethers Competition.

An initiative of Merino SA, the School Merino Wethers Competition was born out of the desire to engage more young people in the Merino industry, including those who may never had previous access to livestock.
The year was 2009. Mr Francis Andrews, then president of the SA Stud Merino Sheepbreeders’ Association, chaired a School & Resource subcommittee comprising Wes Daniell, Roger Fiebig, Carolyn Johnson, Ian Rowett, Ian Michael, Joe Dahlitz, Stephen Kellock and teacher Margy Whittlesea.
Together they created a proposal to the RA & HS Pastoral Committee, that a school competition for Merino wether ‘lambs’ be instigated at the earliest opportunity.
The concept was embraced by both the Society and the Agricultural Schools curriculum. In September 2011, fifteen schools presented 21 teams of 3 wethers. 
These fifteen schools have been regular participants since the first year: Booleroo, Bordertown, Burra, Cleve, Cummins, Faith, Gladstone, Karcultaby, Karoonda, Keith, Lucindale, Murray Bridge, Tintinara, Trinity and Urrbrae.
Ten years later, school numbers and entries have grown substantially. The 2020 competition was the biggest yet, with 70 teams entered from 37 schools.

John Daniell, President of Merino SA at the time of the first competition, recalls;
“We all had a major learning curve that first year, it was a lot of work, but fantastic to see the teamwork by the students.
We had visitors from interstate who were so impressed with what they saw they have since gone on to develop their own state        School Merino Wether program.
A photo of that first line-up in 2011 remains on display in the Merino SA office, it’s a great shot.”

The School Merino Wethers Competition generates interest far beyond the classroom. It is hoped students will be inspired to  forge pathways into the Merino industry and sincere thanks are extended to the studbreeders and industry supporters for their          continued engagement with the program.