For more than a century, Longerenong College has stood at the heart of agricultural education in Western Victoria, quietly shaping the people and practices that underpin Australia’s rural industries. Among its many contributions, few have been as enduring or as influential as its role in training generations of wool classers, specialists whose skills remain fundamental to the strength of Australia’s wool industry. At the Australian Sheep & Wool Show being held in Bendigo, students gain invaluable exposure to subjective fleece judging, sheep breed judging and industry standards at the highest level. These experiences reinforce classroom learning while building professional networks that often shape future careers. Continue reading →

School students around NSW have been carefully feeding and collecting data on teams of prime lambs in a hands-on project designed to foster and mentor the next generation of farmers. A total of 26 schools from across the state, ranging from Sydney, Coffs Harbour to the New England and Griffith, will be competing in the inaugural Community Bank Gilgandra and Central West Bendigo Bank NSW Dohne Prime Lamb Schools Competition at Orange, NSW, on July 29. Continue reading →

The dual-purpose traits of wool and carcase gave the Dohne breed the edge to dominate the prestigious 2025/2026 Walgett Show Merino Wether Trial, taking out the overall champion. The results were announced at the 86^th annual Walgett Show on May 9-10 following the shearing of the 16 competing teams in March. David and Annie Berrell, Midgery Dohne Merino Stud, Walgett, won the Fletchers International Exporters champion team trophy (combined wool and carcase) in what is billed as the nation’s and world’s longest running wether trial. Midgery also won the Clemson Hiscox & Co Nutrien Ag Solutions Trophy for the carcase class. The teams of eight wethers were run as a single mob for 12 months at a host property at Carinda before visual and objective data collection at shearing and slaughter. The scores from the top six sheep in each team were collated to determine the placings. In second place was a team from Mark and Caitlin Currey along with Mark’s parents, Jim and Sue Currey, Bogewong Butcher Co, Walgett, reinforcing the Dohne breed’s wool and carcase quality and consistency. Continue reading →

For Mitchell Applegate, moving to the city for education solidified his love of the farming lifestyle - and was when he realised there was no better place to be than in rural WA. Now Mr Applegate and his family have a successful Dohne stud breeding enterprise that started with the purchase of one Dohne stud in 2019 and another in 2025. "The Dohnes are a dual-purpose breed. They produce a AAAM fleece and have great meat traits, as well as high fertility. This is why I really like the breed." "The positive feedback from clients really drives what we do and drives me to continue focusing on the genetic side. We achieve this through DNA testing, eye muscle scanning, fleece weighing and wool testing, visual classing, multiple body weights and other trait measurement." Continue reading →