Whether the weather’s favourable or not, the best of Victoria’s wethers will be determined Wednesday, and the reigning Shepparton champions are lining up again, determined to defend their crown.

Greater Shepparton Secondary College Year 10 agricultural and horticultural students have been rearing six Merino wethers — male sheep that were castrated before sexual maturity — for the past six months.

Arriving at the secondary school’s purpose-built sheep yards as eight-month-old lambs, the sheep, named Shank, Lucifer, Chops, Rhino, Horny and Ethan, have all gained more than 20kg of body weight.

Ten students, decided by a ballot of 27 from the 100 students enrolled in the agricultural class who wanted to go, will board a bus to the 2025 Victorian Merino Wether Challenge in Clunes on August 27.

They will vie for the glory against 15 other school teams from across the state, hopeful they won’t be fleeced of the top prize.

There, they will say good-baa to the sheep they’ve fed, groomed, tidied up after and even taken for leisurely walks on leads, despite the stubborn headbutting and backflipping shenanigans of a spirited couple.

A sponsors’ event was held at the school on August 20, where the sheep were paraded and senior agricultural and horticultural teacher Charlotte Drinnan thanked individuals and businesses who provided support — from feed and bedding, to stock weighing, cartage and transport — throughout the past six months.

Year 10 student Tayla Donnelly said it had been a group effort by two classes to look after all of the sheep, but each student had their favourite.

Hers is Shank.

“He was a bit of a challenge in the beginning; he didn’t like being led or taking food from people,” Tayla said, as she watched a crowd gather near her favoured Merino.

“But he’s come a long way. Now he can be held and stand there while there are lots of people around.”

Ashlee Meyer and Claudia Hahnel, also Year 10 students, named Shank after, well, what he might be destined to become when the competition is over, such is the cycle of livestock life.

The Victorian Merino Wether Challenge was held for the first time in 2024.

Eleven schools competed, with GSSC winning Best Presented Group, Second Carcass Value and Overall Champion, bringing back to the school three ribbons and two trophies, one a perpetual trophy the school hopes to hold on to for another year.

“We will be highly competitive,” Ms Drinnan said, casting her eyes over the castrated sheep.

“But there’s no certainty, we’ll just do our best.”

Students also keep chooks, rear baby chicks, grow vegetables and will welcome two dairy cows in the coming weeks at the school.

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Tuesday, 28th March 2023

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