It has been a top show season for Lithgow High School's ag team and the Corriedale stud, known as Eskbank.
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After their most successful Sydney Royal Easter Show, the team went on to take home more ribbons at the Royal Bathurst Show.
It was the ewes stealing the limelight at Bathurst, taking out first place for a ewe over two years old and champion ewe.
The high school also claimed the first place for a group of one ram and two ewes.
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Places were won for ram over two years (2nd), ram lamb (3rd), ram lamb shorn (3rd), ram over one year shorn (3rd) and ewe over one year (3rd).
Shaggy, the stud’s number one ram, has had an outstanding season, after claiming first in his class at the Sydney Royal Easter Show as well as best ram fleece.
Agriculture teacher Jon Abbott said a lot of work has gone into improving the genetics of the stud using different rams and improving the school's pasture to ensure the sheep are in the best possible shape.
The flock, 40 in all, are run on the school’s ag farm, which is within the grounds of the high school.
As well as giving students experience in showing their own sheep, Mr Abbott said the Bathurst competition gave students opportunities to handle other beasts.
“There were three studs at the Bathurst Show, about 36 sheep all up, and our students showed all of them,” he said.
“The kids got in and did the lot. It was a good experience for them.”
Student Kasey Mill said the show had helped her develop better handling skills.
“I feel much more comfortable holding the sheep,” she said.
Joshua Grant has been showing sheep as part of the school’s ag team for four years.
He said he has gained valuable experience from the social side of the show.
“You can talk to people who have experience that you don’t,” he said.
“You talk about pasture, different breeds of sheep and learn how the different studs work.”
Their entries were in sheep-shape condition and Lithgow High School claimed top prizes in the Royal Easter Show's stud competition.
It was not just the sheep shining at the Royal Easter Show.
Year 11 student Katrina Abbott was awarded second place in the 14 to 20-year-old handler class against approximately 30 other competitors from rival schools.
The school’s Show season will end with the Dubbo Show on May 26, 27 and 28.
The team will take 11 sheep to represent the Corriedale stud and camp during the show.
Mr Abbott hopes that the weather will hold out. More than 40mm fell overnight at last year’s event.
Kirsty Horton
A journalist with 15 years of experience, Kirsty Horton has been the editor of the Lithgow Mercury newspaper and a journalist for mastheads including the Great Lakes Advocate, Nambucca Guardian News and Moree Champion. She is now a member of ACM's features and special publications team.
A journalist with 15 years of experience, Kirsty Horton has been the editor of the Lithgow Mercury newspaper and a journalist for mastheads including the Great Lakes Advocate, Nambucca Guardian News and Moree Champion. She is now a member of ACM's features and special publications team.
