For excellence in Wool Handling and In-shed Teamwork Anna Lowe has been awarded the Fox & Lillie Rural & SCAA Shearer Woolhandler Training Victorian Wool Classing Ambassador Award for 2022/23.
Anna (19 years old) was selected for her outstanding work in the sheds, attitude, willingness to improve and keen interest which makes her an ideal student. Anna commenced her AHC41316 Certificate IV in woolclassing in early 2022, alongside her sister who is studying the same certificate.
Anna is a third-generation wool classer with her grandfather being a woolclasser and also her mother for over 25 years, all three working around the Rochester area. Growing up on the farm in Timmering, Victoria and working in sheds during the school holidays, Anna has been woolhandling fulltime for the past two years for her Uncle’s contracting business, Dickinson Shearing, that celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.
Anna recently placed 1st at the Novice Wool Handling event at the Australian Sheep and Wool show, Bendigo and 2nd place in the wool handling finals making her a member of the Victorian team to compete at the Nationals in October 22, also to be held at Bendigo. With experienced SCAA Shearer Woolhandler Trainer Marion Kelly who herself represented Australia by her side, Anna has proven her work is of a very high standard for her first competition.
SCAA Shearer Woolhandler Training Inc’s former Wool Classing Ambassadors for 2020 – Alice McKay and 2021 – Abbey Curnow also competed at Bendigo, with Abbey placing 3rd in the Novice event, and 1st in the final on Sunday – meaning Abbey and Anna will both compete together at the upcoming Nationals in Oct. Alice did an amazing job to place 4th in the senior wool handling event.
Anna says “I love the atmosphere and meeting different people.” Working for her uncle’s contracting business across central Victoria in a 2 hour radius from Rochester has been a great experience. I really enjoy my job and wool is a great fibre to work with, especially working with fine wool”
Fox & Lillie Rural’s Central Victoria Wool Marketing Representative and President of the Northern Shears, Adrian Tuohey said he first worked with Anna Lowe a few years ago back when she was rousabouting and had encouraged her to pursue wool classing as a career, saying she had a “knack with wool.”
“Having worked in sheds for over 35 years and a wool classer for over 30 years ago, I’m proud to see companies such as Fox & Lillie Rural providing support to organisations such as SCAA Shearer Woolhandler Training Inc and promoting the various career opportunities that the wool industry has to offer.”
Fox & Lillie Rural has been working with SCAA Shearer Woolhandler Training Inc for over four years, offering financial support to various areas within the organisation’s scope of work as part of their ongoing commitment to help combat the shortage of skilled labour in the industry.
Fox & Lillie’s Wool Classing Ambassador for 2022/23 Anna’s Cert IV Wool Classing stencil will be fully funded, a sponsorship worth $2000. There is also a $1000 IO Merino Voucher and specialist trainer mentoring.
AWI will generously support flights to New Zealand to complete at the New Zealand Shearing Championships in 2023.
Anna said “She was very happy to win the Ambassador Award and looks forward to continuing her family’s tradition of working in the wool industry.”
