Three Win a 2022 Peter Westblade Scholarship
SHEEP CENTRAL, JUNE 6, 2022
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At the 2022 Peter Westblade Scholarship dinner were, from left, major sponsor ChemCert’s CEO Brenden McMahon, winners William Lyon, Baylee Stapleton and Mitchell Rubie, and PWS chairman Ben Patrick.
THE prestigious Peter Westblade Scholarship has been awarded to three exceptional sheep and wool industry candidates for the first time.
Due to the high calibre and the passion of applicants in 2022 and generous support from sponsors and fundraiser supporters the organisers have been able to award scholarships to three young people from New South Wales.
The 2022 scholarship winners are Mitchell Rubie, 21, from Forbes; Baylee Stapleton, 24, from Jerilderie, and William Lyon, 26, from Boomey.
Scholarship committee Ben Patrick said the quality of the three applicants made it very hard to differentiate them and the program’s financial and resource position allowed it to support multiple winners.
“This gives three young people the opportunity to benefit from the scholarship.”
The winners are given assistance and support to the value of $10,000 for their individual programs.
“We sit down and work out what they want out of the scholarship and basically fund it.”
Campbell Rubie placed 2nd in the Nationals April 2022
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Congratulations to all the contestants in today's National Merino Sheep Young Judges Championships. We're delighted to announce results: 2021 as pictured: WINNER: Ben Hartwich, VIC; RUNNER-UP: Campbell Rubie, NSW; THIRD: Sym Hood, TAS; FOURTH: Will Hacker, QLD With thanks to
Australian Wool Innovation for their competition support.
#yjp2022
Campbell Rubie Forbes Advocate
Campbell is a top judge
AGRICULTURAL Shows of Australia (ASA) has announced that local Campbell Rubie is one of seven national finalists in the annual Merino sheep young judges competition, sponsored by Australian Wool Innovation. Dr. Rob Wilson, chairman of ASA, said the competition is designed to recognise and support the best new talent in judging livestock nationwide.
"These young people are the future of agricultural show competitions which are crucial to the continual improvement of Australia's food and fibre," Dr Wilson said.
"The national competition is a coveted opportunity to grow personally and professionally by practising skills against the cream of the crop."
Campbell said he's really looking to representing NSW at the EKKA in August in the National Young Judges Merino Sheep competition.
The competition is held in a different location each year and will be hosted by Queensland Ag Shows at the 143rd Royal Queensland Show from August 7-9.
"It will be a great opportunity to learn lots of new things, and meet new people," Campbell said.
"I'm really passionate about merino sheep, having grown up on a family farm, and merino stud, Lachlan Merinos." Queensland Ag Shows president Kerri Robertson said that the young judges will assess four ewes and four rams against the standard of what is considered a good Merino type. "The task of judging is a subjective one, based on selected production systems and changing market conditions. It is important that entrants are able to use their skills and articulate their approach," Ms Robertson said.
Campbell will compete against: - Kurt Richards, representing Western Australia.
- Will Hacker, representing Queensland.
- Robbie Harper representing New Zealand.
- Klay Smith, representing South Australia.
- Ben Harwich, representing Victoria.
- Sym Hood, representing Tasmania.
There are nine categories for judging and parading each year under the ASA national competition program: beef cattle, dairy cattle, alpaca, poultry, Merino sheep, meat sheep breed and Merino fleece judging, as well as parading competitions in beef and dairy cattle.
As featured in Tuesday's Advocate another young local, Clarissa Peasley who's now studying at St Paul's Walla Walla, will represent NSW in the national merino fleece judging finals.
Charles Sturt wins National Merino Challenge
Charles Sturt University students have out-classed the competition to be named the top tertiary team in the 2019 National Merino Challenge.
- Charles Sturt named top tertiary team in a national competition testing skills in merino production, breeding and fleece assessment
- The AWI National Merino Challenge is an annual event that aims to engage young people in the sheep and wool industry
- Veterinary science student Patrick Crawley was also awarded first place in individual tertiary section
Charles Sturt University (Charles Sturt) students have out-classed the competition to be named the top tertiary team in the 2019 National Merino Challenge (NMC).
The NMC is an initiative of Australian Wool Innovation to provide young people with an understanding of the career opportunities within the sheep and wool industries.
Over two days in Sydney more than 160 students took part in events to test their skills in areas such as feed budgeting, condition scoring, breeding objectives, wool harvesting and commercial classing of animals and fleeces.
Fourteen Charles Sturt students took part in the competition, with the highest four scores taken into consideration in the tertiary challenge.
The four highest scoring students, Ms Kayla Kopp, Mr Mitch Rubie, Mr Patrick Crawley, and Ms Karissa De Belle (all pictured left to right), claimed first prize. Mr Crawley was also named the individual tertiary student champion in the competition.
Charles Sturt PhD candidate Ms Kayla Kopp said it was an honour to be part of the winning team.
“This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our knowledge of the sheep industry, talk with other university and school students, and network with people from the industry,” Ms Kopp said. “Winning was a bonus.”
The team was trained by Charles Sturt lecturer in animal production and science, and member of the
Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Dr Susan Robertson and Ms Lexi Cesnick from Moses and Son.
“One of the key benefits of the National Merino Challenge is that it gives students from all backgrounds and levels of experience the opportunity to learn more about sheep and wool, and to be able to participate in a very supportive environment,” Dr Robertson said.
“Those students who involve themselves demonstrate a commitment to learning and enthusiasm for the industry, and Charles Sturt was proud to have 14 students wanting to test themselves this year.”
The students representing Charles Sturt in the competition: Ms Joanna Balcombe, Mr Jake Bourlet, Mr Patrick Crawley, Ms Karissa de Belle, Ms Kayla Kopp, Ms Johanna McAuliffe, Ms Hannah Metcalfe, Ms Rachel Moon, Mr Liam Norrie, Ms Bridget Parkman, Mr Josh Robinson, Mr Mitchell Rubie, Mr Baylee Stapleton and Ms Lisa Suzuki.
