DENVER, Colo. — If you’re interested in learning the art of sheep shearing, now is the time to start making plans to attend a shearing school this fall or next spring. Schools around the United States have (or soon will) set dates for the coming months.
“A shearing school is a great place for anyone interested in shearing to get their start,” said American Sheep Industry Association Deputy Director Rita Samuelson. “Students at these schools each year vary from small flock producers who want to shear their own sheep to those who are considering shearing as a full-time profession.”
ASI offers training materials that are used in conjunction with hands-on instruction at many of the schools around the United States. Attendance is often limited at these schools, so prospective students are encouraged to register as soon as possible with the school of their choice.
Schools that have submitted their dates to ASI include:
- The Vermont Shearing School is set for Sept. 10-11. Contact Jim McRae at vtshearer@yahoo.com or call 802-483-2463 for more information.
- The Montana Wool Harvesting School is scheduled for Oct. 13-16 in Molt, Mont. Contact Denise Hoepfner at denise.hoepfner@montana.edu to register.
- The North Dakota State University Hettinger Research Extension Center Shearing School is set for Nov. 19-21 in Hettinger, N.D. For more information, contact Christopher Schauer, Ph.D., at Christopher.schauer@ndsu.edu or 701-567-3582.
- The South Dakota State University Shearing School is scheduled for December at the SDSU Sheep Unit in Brookings, S.D. Contact Kelly Froehlich at Kelly.froehlich@sdstate.edu or 605-688-5433 for more information.
- Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., will host a shearing school on March 1-2, 2023. Contact Extension Associate Amy Bax at BaxA2@LincolnU.edu to register.
- The Tennessee Sheep Producers Association Sheep Shearing School is scheduled for April 7-8, 2023, at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Contact Mark Powell at 615-519-7796 or shepherdboy1@yahoo.com for more information.
- Shepherd’s Cross in Claremore, Okla., will host a shearing school on April 13-15, 2023. Visit www.shepherdscross.com to register.
Other shearing schools will be added to the ASI Calendar of Events as they are scheduled.
–American Sheep Industry Association