Quality display caps off year

CLIPPING ALONG: Simon Bailey, Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre tutor, shears for glory as part of the annual centre shearing contest. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The annual shearing contest at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre capped a year of study for sheep and beef students at the centre.

In the heats of the contest, which was held last month, students were expected to shear a single sheep before shearing two animals in the final, says Yvonne Way, centre marketing and communications manager.

First place in the annual contest went to Luke Reiche, second was Kelly Poehls, Chris Wiffen placed third and fourth place went to Chevaane Brosnan.

Taratahi tutors and one keen parent also threw themselves into the fray and got competitive; Simon Bailey and Alistair Lewis took on Chrissy Jordan and Glynes Best - the ladies took the glory.

Shearing Tutor Nigel Tomlin was more than satisfied with the degree of skill students brought to bear during the contest.

"We've been teaching them all year that quality is paramount, you have to consistently do an excellent job, because at the end of the day their future employer is going to expect that. We've got some really talented students here," he said.

"It was not all about who was the fastest but about quality."