Lambs on the hoof meant that the lambs presented in the lightweight and medium weight classes must of done ok.
The competition involved lamb producers enter- ing a team of ten lambs in any of the following divisions. Lightweight – 43kg to 48kg, Medium weight 48.1kg to 54kg or Heavyweight 54.1kg and above and all having a fat cover of 3 score.
Past student, Charlie Butt, was convinced by his old Ag teacher to donate his lunch hour to weigh and class the lambs. Harvey Jones their new Farm Assistant offered some time to assist in wrestling the energetic and wriggly young Ovine – (Genus of sheep).
By the end of that process MHS had two pens of ten lambs, one in the lightweight and one in the middleweight ready to take to the Illabo Show straight off their mothers as pens of sucker lambs. Show day came at the end of the first week back at school this term with Mrs Jan Young rising early to take Simon, MHS’ new French exchange student and Landen Vasquez across to enter the pens in the show. The team were met in Illabo by Mrs and Mrs James along with Evan James to attend the local community show. The famous Can Assist – Devonshire tea was consumed and the lambs judged quite dis- appointingly live – on the hoof. MHS placed 5th in the lightweight section and 15th in the Middleweight. However, during week 2 the magic text message came through strongly suggesting that the high school should attend the dinner to attend the dinner. Although the school could not participate in the bottles of wine on offer, they consumed as much water and apéritifs as they could manage prior to the main course of succulent roast lamb on a bed of mash potato and veg.
Then the presentation of the prizes was underway. Lightweight results were read out and MHS were super excited to win first place in the hook results. The carcases are judged from all pens by the over- judge randomly selecting 3 head from each pen of 10 lambs. These carcases are scored out of 60 points- Lean meat yield – 26 points, Pen Intra Muscular Fat – 25 points, Pen GLQ Score – 9 points. Murrumburrah High Schools Team of 3 scored 50.3 and first place in the division.
Champion Pen of lambs came out of the mid- dleweight with 51.8 and reserve champion 51.6. Murrumburrah High Schools lightweight team came an impressive 3rd overall out of 44 teams exhibited by commercial producers. Murrumburrah High School were the only school entered. But if that re- sult was not enough for MHS, read on.
There is an award for the Champion and Reserve Champion carcase from all the 132 carcases judged from all divisions. Lamb Tag 133 from Murrumburrah High scored 57.365 out of a possible 60. With that impressive score the lamb was awarded Champion carcase overall.
This awarded the lamb The Betty Hordern Trophy which MHS has a framed photo of the silver plate to hang proudly in the school foyer along with the Grand Champion ribbon.
But if that was not enough the story continues. While waiting for the auction of the 2 award winning carcases, some of the locals came over to chat to the students at MHS to find out how they managed to take out the award. Through this discussion around the table, one gentleman introduced himself as a member of the RAS committee and the team from MHS had a great chat with him. The auction started and this man from the RAS proceeded to bid on the champion carcase and ended up being the winning bidder for the sum of $320.The MHS team congratulated him on his success and wished him happy eating however, he proceeded to inform the students he had just purchased the cut up lamb for the students to take back with them. How generous and how excited the students were.
Due to being at Cootamundra show for the night, Mrs Young rang the Principal on return to the show to seek use of his fridge to store the dressed boxed lamb for the weekend.
The school are grateful to all of those who con- tributed to their success and acknowledge the local stud who supplied their ram “Keith” who sired the lambs in the first instance.
Southern Cross Rams have really contributed some great genetics into the ewes which have been purchased from local producers such as Kath and Peter Manwaring.
Congratulations to the senior Ag class who were re- sponsible for setting the joining dates and complet- ing the lambmarking and vaccinations. Well done Wal Lovell and Harvey Jones who ensured that the ewes and lambs were in the best health. Thank you to our local shearer Chris Mahoney and Mrs Young’s husband, Dave for bunging and dagging ewes and lambs when required.
It goes to show that Harden-Murrumburrah is a great Prime Lamb producing area. If you want to sample some of these fine genetics, The annual local Bendigo Bank Murrumburrah Harden Show 2023 will be having a lamb auction of the remaining 10 lambs from the schools 2023 drop which will be dressed and cut up by local butchers Ziems Meats.
