NDSU Hosts Shearing, Classing Schools

NDSU Hosts Shearing, Classing Schools

The annual Sheep Shearing School and Wool Classing School were held Nov. 23-25 at the North Dakota State University Research Unit.

The Schools – this was the fifth annual shearing school and the third annual classing school – were coordinated by Dr. Christopher Schauer.

In all, a total of 15 shearing students and 13 wool classing students attended from a number of states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kansas.

Shearing school instructors included Wade Kopren, Mike Hagens, Reid Redden, Mike Schuldt, Terance Pelle, Ryan Keyes, Ralph McWilliams, Alex Moser, and Clint Hahn. Wool school instructors included Ron Cole, ASI wool education consultant, and Dr. Lisa Surber, of the Montana State University Wool Lab. Larry Prager, of the Center of the Nation Wool warehouse, also addressed each group on shearing and wool handling issues.

Classes were held indoors at the local armory, as well as the local livestock hoop barn arena. Cold and windy conditions did not interrupt either school.

Lots of wool was evaluated, along with wool processing systems and new fabrics developed from U.S.-produced wools in the past year. Students worked with the shearers at a newly built shearing trailer designed and built by Kopren and Hagens. Schuldt brought his newly designed shearing stalls with a wood shearing floor for students and shearers to work on, as well.

Shearing School students included Paul Austin, David and Tyler Birrenkoft, Kristina Bredahl, Jonathon Chitwood, Clark Doornbox, Philip Dukart, Thian Eddington, Kyle Getz, Heather Gordon, Marshal Johnson, Levi McTaggert, JD Ryuen, Leland Schoon and Cruz Robinson.

Wool School students included Justin Bartholomary, Michelle Craig, Allison Crane, Anna and John Erk, Rebecca Gibbs, Fred Gordon, Casey Humble, Nicole Kluck, Travis Mickelson, Leah Nelson, Ashlyn Olson and Christi Ryen.

Each student completed the requirements for Level I Classer.