Youth compete at the B+LNZ Future Sheep competition

// Awards

School students between Years 1 and 13 gathered in Hawke’s Bay last week to take part in the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Future Sheep competition which B+LNZ are the naming rights sponsor.

image of students in the sheep yards

Last week’s Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Future Sheep Competition offered young people the chance to display their sheep handling skills and learn all about the sheep industry.

The annual competition, which highlights the importance of encouraging youth to consider a career in the industry, attracted between 50 to 100 five to eighteen-year-olds from across the North Island.

This year there were six teams of 10 participating at the Tomoana Showgrounds in Hawke’s Bay.

The competition included stock judging, educational and hands-on modules, team building, an ambassador programme, public speaking, and plenty of fun.

“It was fantastic to run the event after cancelling it for the last two years due to COVID-19,” says B+LNZ Future Sheep NZ Coordinator Samantha Greene. 

“It was great to see the competitors really get stuck into all six modules. You could see how passionate and interested they are in the sheep industry. We are so thankful to our family of sponsors that help to make this possible.”

“Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

View the B+LNZ Future Sheep Competition Results for 2022 (PDF, 44.4 KB)

The competition recognises the importance of supporting and encouraging young people to think about a career in the sheep industry.

Greene says if our industry wants to remain progressive and sustainable it is essential that young people are given every opportunity to consider careers in the food and fibre sector.

About the B+LNZ Future Sheep Competition 

The Future Sheep Competition was created to reshape and reignite the New Zealand sheep industry’s youth involvement, at a national level while providing opportunity for youth to learn about the different career pathways on offer. Future Sheep was established to inspire and support the farmers and industry leaders of the future.

Learn more about the competition and view the complete photo album via the official Facebook page.

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