03 Apr 2013
Peel High School rammed it home at the Sydney Royal Easter Show last week! Uate, the milk tooth ram, won the prestigious David Warren Memorial Shield for the best-headed Suffolk. This gave the school a record 7th win in this highly regarded award. Another highlight was winning the Sires Progeny Group.
Peel contested the Meat and Dual Purpose Sheep Breeds Section and the Poultry Section, and met with outstanding success in both arenas.
The Sheep competition is conducted in two stages; firstly the Open Section for individual breeds from established registered studs, and the Schools' Section for interbreed competition between exhibiting schools. Year 11 students Jaymee Seery and Brandon Dickson along with Madeleine Wesierski (Year 10) and Sam Frazer (Year 9) were the lucky four selected to accompany the team to the Royal and each one worked hard to present their charges in top order.
In the Open Section, the Suffolk breed attracted 7 exhibitors from studs all around NSW. The State's leading Stud, "Bowen" for Millthorpe, dominated most classes but Peel High was hot on their heels with 4 first placings, 3 seconds, 1 third and 2 fourths.
The School's section was contested by 7 schools with 8 different breeds of sheep. After the classes were completed, the champion ram and ewe came head to head for the ultimate prize. The Judge had no hesitation in naming Peel's 2 tooth ewe, Barbara, the Supreme School Exhibit, declaring her an exceptional ewe that he would be proud to take home to add to his own stud flock. Agriculture teacher, Mr Laurie Raper, reassured students that this will not happen as Barbara is definitely not for sale.
The Poultry Section was also conducted in two divisions; one Open to all breeders, the other restricted to schools. Peel only took 4 birds down to Sydney, 2 in each division, and all 4 won first place in their respective classes! The two in the Open section contested the Belgian Bantam classes; the Blue cockerel placing first and the Blue Hen was placed first in class and Best Female. The school section is contested by type rather than individual breeds. Peel's Belgian Bantams were in the True Bantam type classes along with other breeds such as Pekin, Sebright and Japanese bantams. The quail coloured Belgian cockerel, aka "the Chicken from Hell", beat 6 other rivals and apparently left the judge with no major injuries. The quail pullet, which had won Champion Belgian at Tamworth show, continued her good run, coming out on top in a strong class of 15.
The next challenge for the sheep will be the NSW Sheep Show at Dubbo early in term 2 and for the chooks, it will be the Australian Belgian Bantam Annual Show in Wyong in late June.
The students who represented the school at the show were Sam Frazer, Jaymee Seery, Brandon Dickson and Madeleine Wesierski.
Individual class results
Woolly milk tooth Ram, Uate, 4thplace, woolly milk tooth ewe, 2ndplace, woolly two tooth ewe, 2ndplace, shorn two tooth ewe, Katy Two, first place.
Pairs Classes - we had a pair of milk tooth ewes who received first place.
Best Headed Suffolk - won by Uate, handled by Sam Frazer.
Peter Taylor Group - consists of one ram and two milk tooth ewes, Peel won second place.
Breeders Group - consists of one ram and one milk tooth ewe, Peel won third place.
Sires Progreny Group - consists of three sheep by the same sire, Peel won first place.