Manning Doughty, 27, studied agricultural economics at the University of Sydney before working as the stud overseer at Boonoke Station
Three young people from southern NSW have been announced as finalists in the sheep industry’s prestigious Peter Westblade Scholarship.
Yerong Creek’s Josh Molloy, Manning Doughty, of Hay, and Emily Anderson, Binda, were chosen from a total of 24 applicants from NSW, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania by a panel of industry judges.
The finalists will attend the MerinoLink conference at Wagga Wagga, NSW, on March 2, with the winner announced that evening at the Peter Westblade Scholarship dinner at the Cache Function Centre, Wagga.
Now entering its fifth year, the scholarship will provide cash and in-kind support worth up to $10,000 over a 12-month period.
The winner will benefit from practical skills training, mentoring and the establishment of industry networks.
Open to young people aged 18-30, the scholarship honours the late Peter Westblade, a Lockhart sheep producer passionate about breeding profitable sheep, and a supporter of young people interested in agriculture.
Manning Doughty, 27, studied agricultural economics at the University of Sydney before working as the stud overseer at Boonoke Station, followed by a management role in a commercial livestock operation at Hay and Hillston.
Mr Doughty said the scholarship appealed to help further his knowledge in ewe management in pastoral areas.
“I am primarily interested in improving weaning rates to ewes joined, increasing DSEs run per hectare and reducing ewe mortalities,’’ he said.
Mr Doughty also plans to attend a shearing school and explore different types of grazing and pasture management.
Emily Anderson, 24, graduated from the University of New England in 2012 and has worked in the family’s sheep and wool enterprise at Binda. She also works part-time for a local contract shearing team.
Miss Anderson’s career goal is to participate in industry networks and groups, and identify and implement improvements to the family farm business.
“I would like to take advantage of the opportunities this scholarship provides to expand my skill set and to gain a better understanding of the many facets of the sheep and wool industry,’’ she said.
Josh Molloy has worked both on and off-farm in the sheep and wool industry since leaving school.
He applied for the scholarship with the expectation of meeting industry leaders and young people with a passion for sheep and wool.
“I would like to learn more about genetics, explore new technology and study the wool processing pipeline from farm to final product,’’ Mr Molloy said.
The strength of the candidates was so strong in 2015 that joint winners, Casey Annetts and Jayden Harris, were announced from a field of 29 finalists.
They will be guest speakers at the Peter Westblade Scholarship dinner, along with Richard Groom, PF Agribusiness, on the topic of “Communication on the farm’’.
The scholarship runs parallel with the 2016 MerinoLink conference on March 2 at the Wagga Wagga RSL Club, from 8.15am to 5pm.
Interstate and local guest speakers will cover topics including Merino meat eating quality, genomic benchmarking, the RamSelect app, feeding systems and Australian Sheep Breeding Values.
For further information on the scholarship or conference visit www.peterwestbladescholarship, or www.merinolink.com.au or contact Sally Martin on 0400782 477.
-Kim Woods