Record attendance in Merino wether comp at Royal Adelaide Show

A total of 40 schools competed from regions right across the state, with 78 teams of three wethers taking their time on the mat.

In his first year as convener, David Rowett, Marrabel, said he was pleased to see such a large turnout.

"Virtually every major region is covered and it's great to see them all coming together," he said.

"It's gaining a lot of interest every year and it's great to see the engagement from the kids.

"I think they get a lot out of it but I think the industry gains a lot as well because the younger generation is getting excited about Merinos."

Taking home the supreme exhibit in the competition was team Unity 1, from Unity College, Murray Bridge.

Unity students Isla Micklan and Lizzy Cartledge said they sourced their teams as lambs from Judy and Keith Paech, Callington,

"We had a day to go see the sheep and we got to pick out what sheep we wanted to take with us," Lizzy said.

"We picked our teams because they were good all rounders, their wool was really good, they were very structurally sound and just looked like what we were after. When we got them back to school, it was all about training them and feeding them up until they were perfect for the show."

Blowing their competition out of the water in the fleece competition, Unity College achieved a price of $491.05 for their combined three fleeces, which they put down the right environment and feed.

"We spent a lot of time cleaning them and making sure they had access to feed at all the right times to keep their wool as white as possible," student Isla Mickan said.

"I think it played a big part.

"I believe it was also where they were stored - instead of a paddock, they were in an eco shelter, which kept them safe and their fleeces clean.

"A lot of hard work goes into it and to just get to see how it turns out is definitely worth it."

Mr Rowett said Unity College's winning fleeces were off-the-charts.

"A value of almost $500 is ridiculous in the current market - they were $100 clear of the next team," he said.

"I think the kids are certainly seeing what the dual-purpose benefits of Merinos are in that the meat is one part of but the wool is still a very profitable article.

"They got the right micron range, with a good fleece weight and t's unbelievable the price Unity achieved for that."

Picking up most valuable meat was Orroroo Area School in the school's first showing since 2019.

Kingston Area School was awarded the best pen of three sash and Renmark High School was acknowledged for its improvement for the past four years.

Isla said the show helped herself and her peers get a better insight into the agriculture industry.

"For us coming off farms, we have a bit more knowledge, but not always of the sheep industry," she said.

"We also have steers and goats, so even if we're not in those teams, we get to help out with them and see some of the behind the scenes stuff.

"But for people from the city who don't always get those opportunities, it's a great experience for them and gives them a way to get into the industry when they're older."

Overall, Mr Rowett said he was pleased with the event's results and looked forward to going one better next year.

"It's a credit to the schools for how well they present the sheep," he said.

"Even though there has to be some standouts and sashes awarded, they're all not far off each other so there's some tough competition.

"This year we had 40 schools and we're hoping to grow it even more in 2024."