Sheep shearing, wool and mohair schools set for Jan.
12-14 in San Angelo
By: Blair Fannin
SAN ANGELO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host multiple
comprehensive wool education schools at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and
Extension Center, north of San Angelo on U.S. Highway 87.
(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host
multiple comprehensive wool education schools at the Texas A&M AgriLife
Research and Extension Center, north of San Angelo on U.S. Highway 87. The
Texas A&M AgriLife Shearing School and the Wool and Mohair Schools are
scheduled for Jan. 12-14.
(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)
The Texas A&M AgriLife Shearing School and the Wool and Mohair Schools
are scheduled for Jan. 12-14.
The shearing school continues to grow in popularity, said Dr. Reid Redden,
AgriLife Extension state sheep and goat specialist at San Angelo.
“Students appreciate the hands-on instruction, and the popularity of this
school has made participant slots limited, so we are encouraging those
interested to apply as soon as possible,” Redden said.
The school is meant to train the next generation of shearers by offering the
most innovative technology available to harvest wool, he said. Shearing is
physically demanding and participants should be aware that the skills taught
require hard, manual labor.
“They should arrive willing to work and dressed in proper working attire,”
he said.
Redden noted that whether individuals are new to shearing or wanting to hone
their technique, something will be offered to everyone.
“The school has instructors who teach both international shearing pattern,
often called Australian style, and the more commonly used shearing style in
Texas. In addition to sheep, we also teach students to shear Angora goats,
which makes our school unique to most other schools in the nation.”
Redden said the goal for all these schools is to develop industry
professionals willing to use the most efficient technique, equipment and tools
to harvest wool for sheep ranches of any size.
The wool-classing school is a separate school that teaches participants to
sort wool into separate categories to improve the value of the wool clip for
the grower and buyer, he said.
Dr. Ronald Pope, Texas A&M AgriLife Research director of the Bill Sims
Wool and Mohair Research Lab, will coordinate the training.
“Both curriculums will complement each other,” Redden said. “And perhaps
most importantly, students engage with industry professionals from ranch gate
to retail shelf, which provides the opportunity for lifelong learning.”
The class sizes are limited due to the hands-on instruction, so applications
for both schools must be submitted by Dec. 1. Successful applicants will be
notified by Dec. 7.
Registration for the shearing school is available at
https://agrilife.org/sheepandgoat/registration/. Registration for the
mohair school is available at
https://agrilife.org/sheepandgoat/woolmohair/. Those interested in
registering may also phone 325-653-4576.
Individual registration for the shearing school or wool classing school is
$150 for Texas residents and $250 for non-residents. Students will receive a
sheep shearing handbook and DVD or wool classing manual. Previous students will
receive a $100 discount.
The minimum age for participating in either course is 16 years old.
The school is a collaborative effort among AgriLife Extension, AgriLife
Research, the American Sheep Industry Association and the Texas Sheep and Goat
Raisers Association.
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