(February 1, 2009)  A shearer meeting, coordinated by the American Wool Council (AWC), was held prior to the National Western Stock Show International Shearing Contest, and allowed those contest participants a forum for discussion on wool quality, packaging issues, international wool markets and the certified shearer program. 

This year, participants were given a demonstration of the OFDA2000 machine, which measures wool fiber diameter, as well as fiber information and a hands-on chance to class various fleeces using the presented knowledge.  
In addition, attendees discussed how to go about forming a U.S. team for international shearing competitions, as well as how to best pull the shearing industry together to encourage unification and information sharing amongst U.S. shearers.
 
“We are in a big need of helping ourselves out,” comments Doug Rathke, an attending shearer from Minnesota, on how U.S. shearers can stay competitive in the global market.

According to Jim Bristol, AWC chair, the event was well-attended with more than 25 dedicated youth and adults who came to the meeting to increase their knowledge and involvement in their trade. 

“Shearers are hungry for information from a reliable source, and this gives them a chance to interact and a chance to talk. They show up because they are interested in doing a top-notch job for our wool growers, and they are not going to let standards slip,” he says.