World Young Shepherd's Challenge

In Oamaru this past week,

it's been all on for the

young shepherd's of the world

who have been competing in the

World Young Shepherd's Challenge.

First came Digger's sheep

Bevan and Rosie welcomed them.

Look how happy they were to be out of that stinky truck.

And even more sheep.

These ones are from Totara Estate.

In the middle of these sheep

is a lazy, dopey merino

who wouldn't stand for me to take his photo.

Below is Rozzy, Rosie and Duncy Monkey,



Rozzy is responsible for pulling the Challenge together for

Beef+LambNZ

Rosie is the crazy brains behind most of the modules,

Duncy is the brawn

(those bales of straw had to get there somehow).

Then the shepherd's themselves arrived.

Australia, Wales, Scotland, Uruguay, Argentina,

USA, England, Northern Ireland, France and New Zealand

Ireland got caught up in the Qantas strike

so didn't arrive until the end of the first day.

22 competitors from countries that play rugby.

All there to win the inaugural

World Young Shepherd's Challenge

thanks to French sheep breeders and

New Zealand trade ambassadors who sat around

have a few red wines coming up with a cunning plan

for the French to come to New Zealand....

to see our sheep.

Lucky and Aunty Shirley ready to work hard.

We wore white shirts,

the competitors wore black.

Helper boys wearing what they arrived in...

And did the haka in their gumboots.

It was perfect.

Waitaki Boys' High Young Farmers

welcomed us with their school haka.

A sterling job they did
all day helping us and

watching the big boys compete.

An awesome welcome!