Enthusiasm for new expo

The inaugural SA Sheep Expo, to be held from April 27 to 29, has been inspired by the hugely successful SA Junior Heifer Expo held each July. It will see 12 to 23-year-old participants staying on site learning more about the meat and wool industries.

Expo council chair Ian Pfeiffer has been thrilled with how the industry has responded to the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society of SA Pastoral Committee suggestion.

“A lot of people have said it should have happened years ago so we thought we would give it a go,” he said. 

“We spent a few hours at the heifer expo earlier in the year and were struck by the exposure it gives to the cattle industry,” he said.

 “We thought we should have that for the sheep industry.

“We want participants to experience a lot of hands-on sessions including handling sheep, judging sheep, pregnancy testing and fat score testing.”

The education program aims to cover skills and technologies available to run successful and sustainable stud and commercial enterprises, with the potential to integrate into recognition of TAFE and SACE units. 

Among the topics are genetics, nutrition, marketing through to eating quality and the use of Australian Sheep Breeding Values.

The event will be run under a competitive environment with major prizes including a trip to New Zealand for the senior 18-23 year old winner, plus sponsored trips to LambEx 2016 in Albury, NSW.

Mr Pfeiffer says the industry is riding high with strong demand for sheep meat and consistent wool prices but needs youthful enthusiasm to maintain its momentum.

“Now is the time to put in place some things to encourage more productivity in sheep operations, find better markets, and drive innovation,” he said.

“The average age of farmers is increasing so we need to identify those kids wanting to come into the industry and make sure they can see the opportunities.”

Hampshire Down and Suffolk breeder Anthony Pearce, Mount Torrens said his daughter Claire, 16, and son Riley, 13, had been “waiting for an event like this to come along.” He is confident it will be able to replicate the SA Junior Heifer Expo’s enduring success.  His business, Hills Farm Supplies was one of the first to sign up as a sponsor. “It is a chance to bring together kids from other states and country and city backgrounds who have a common interest in sheep,” he said. “We need to be showing them the opportunities in agriculture, but it is also about giving them a hunger or passion for the livestock industry.”

The event will be limited to 100 participants in its first year but the committee hope it will grow to become a national event in subsequent years.