A new shearing shed is set to be officially opened at the Jamestown Show on Sunday, in time for the show's speed shear and sport shear competitions.
Planning for the shed began in November, with the building due to be completed on Friday (tomorrow) with the installation of shearing plant and equipment supplied by Heiniger Australia.
The Heiniger Shearer Training Centre has six stands, and has been made possible by a partnership between Jamestown Show, Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, Redden Bros, local woolgrowers and businesses, and the Northern Areas Council.
We haven't had a suitable facility in SA to hold national championships for about 15 years, so we're really excited about this possibility.
- DAVID COOPER
The new shed will host Tafe shearer learner schools and a raft of other industry training, and is also set to host the state wool handling championships next year.
In addition to these events, Jamestown Show president David Cooper said plans to host the 2021 National Shearing Championships were in the pipeline.
"We haven't had a suitable facility in SA to hold national championships for about 15 years, so we're really excited about this possibility," he said.
Another exciting event on the show program is the Ag Industry Q&A forum on Monday afternoon, giving the rural community the opportunity to ask questions to a panel of industry leaders.
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The inaugural forum was run at last year's Jamestown Show, drawing a crowd of about 500 people.
The panel comprises Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey, Legislative Council president Andrew McLachlan, regional business guru Malcolm May, Grain Producers SA chair Wade Dabinett, science and agriculture educator Belinda Cay, wool industry advocate Chantel McAlister and local GP Simon Jackson.
Mr Cooper said further development of regional economic opportunities, rural mental health, and closer educational links between primary producers and the general public would be some of the topics discussed during the forum.
"We're calling for questions online before the show, and we'll certainly take questions from the floor," he said.
- Details: jamestownshow.com.au
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