Royal Show Wrap-up!

As the dust settles and everyone gets back into their normal routines we can reflect on this huge annual event; Farm Skills and the Perth Royal Show.

Staff and students have been preparing for this event all year with steers being purchased, handled and fed on grain for three months, Corriedale stud sheep selected and pampered a little ready for their show debut and students selected and trained in several different events in preparation for the Farm Skills Competition.

Lets start at the top with the Farm Skills

Three Denmark teams were selected by farm staff and invited to compete in this Ag College Challenge. Each team consists of six members competing in a variety of practical events. The fencing event is the major challenge with five team members erecting a short plain wire fence within twenty minutes. While training for this event can be quite successful, the pressure on the day often takes its toll and common-sense decision making goes out the window.

The team that holds their nerve and thinks through the challenge will often win. This year a team from Harvey was awarded winners of this event with an excellent fence constructed. Other events such as tractor driving, sheep handling and wool pressing are always good events to watch.

After a huge day in the sun with Denmark students enjoying the challenges of competition, the nerves and the team comradery; the event concluded with a prize giving ceremony. One by one the event winners and placegetters were announced, and it seemed that other Colleges were winning most of the events. Denmark had it’s share of ribbons and the Denmark Year 11 team was getting a lot of second and third places, but it seemed Harvey Year 12 team was well on top.

The final numbers were tallied and announced with an eruption of Year 11 joy as the over-all winners were announced. Due to the amazing number of places, the Year Eleven team was victorious winning over Harvey by just half a point.

Congratulations to all students who did a fantastic job and represented Denmark to the highest standards. A special thank you to Mr Brian Taylor who drove the bus up to Perth and supported the students all day in the heat nearly causing himself getting heat exhaustion - thank you.

Sheep Club and the Denmark Corriedale stud success

Well done to all Sheep Clubbers and Mr Schulz for the enormous effort getting a great team of livestock to Perth and competing in a variety of events. The AWI Wether Challenge is an event between colleges to prepare four merino wethers and then have them judged for market suitability and value. Denmark’s team was placed third in this event.

The stud Corriedale classes were unfortunately uncontested, so ribbons were all for Denmark. While this might seem a little pointless the experience of animal presentation and an external judge evaluating and commenting on our livestock is very valuable for students to learn from. The judge’s comments about the quality of the Corriedale exhibits were very encouraging and the improvement in genetics is now becoming quite evident.

Our students were also on show competing in several handling and judging events. Outstanding results in the State final events for Wool Classing and Merino Ram Judging with students Summer Sutherland and Savanah Trevenen winning these events. They will now represent Western Australia at the Brisbane Royal Show next year. Congratulations to all students who entered these events.

All this would not be possible without dedicated staff like Mr Roger Schulz and his commitment to the Sheep Club and students - thank you.

Cattle Club and the Carcase Competition

Another huge commitment by Cattle Clubbers to transport and exhibit 21 prime steers in the Led Steer and Carcase competition. Logistically a truck and trailer full of equipment and feed was transported to Claremont, unpacked and a whole cattle lane transformed into an exhibition of Denmark’s livestock and Cattle Club. The first days are always a little tense with animals and students being nervous and apprehensive. The first event was the Student Parading competition where students are evaluated handling their animal and presenting to the judge. Denmark students represented very well - being placed in second, third and fourth. Second was Aydn Reid, third place was Grace Walford and fourth was Georgia Roberts. Well done to all students who at times had some very challenging animals to control.

The next event was the steers time to shine with an eastern states judge deciding on the best animals. Denmark steers received several qualifying ribbons with the highlight being a Reserve Champion in the Extra Heavy section.

The next day the steers are sold in an auction ring. This is always a tense time with loud noise and an auctioneer yelling in a microphone. Steer sales were very pleasing with an average price per head of $2,850. Once the steers were sold, the mammoth task of cleaning up and packing equipment begins.

Several days later the carcase results came back with Denmark steers performing extremely well in all weight categories. The highlight here was achieving Champion and Reserve Champion Carcase in the Extra Heavy weight category. A great result here.

Massive thanks to Mr Brad Seib for the dedication to Cattle Club and giving our students this fantastic opportunity.

Also a huge thanks to Rebecca Goodliffe from the residential team who looked after the students and staff wonderfully.

All in all, the Perth Royal Show was once again a huge success. It is a very challenging task for staff to coordinate and complete. Our students represented the College with exceptional standards and manners which does not go unnoticed.