Andrew Brown – Shearer Training in SA
Shearer training in SA – A personal recollection by Andrew Brown
Andrew Brown was born in Adelaide and developed an early interest in agriculture. He graduated with a Diploma in Agriculture from Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1956 and spent much of his career in the South Australian Department of Agriculture and later in the Department of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) working in the field of wool harvesting, involved with the evolution of shearing and wool handling training and skills.
Background
The first mechanical shearing unit was developed in the 1880s, replacing the established technique at that time of blade shearing. The Australian sheep industry adopted mechanical shearing over the first few decades of the 20th century. This was impeded by the outbreak of World War 1, the depression and commencement of World War 2.
Sheep numbers in Australia increased from less than 100 million immediately after World War 2 to a peak of 175 million in 1969-70. This number was only matched around 1990. At the same time there was a global increase in wool fabrication with increasing emphasis on quality attributes of the fleece.
Until the 1950s shearer training was largely considered to be catered for by the Federal Pastoral Industry Award. This provided for one shearing stand in four to be allocated for a “learner shearer”. A learner shearer was defined as one who had not yet shorn 5,000 sheep.
Under this scheme a learner “buddied” with an experienced shearer to watch and learn until he was able to shear unassisted. Often the practice took place on the last sheep or at the end of a two-hour run, which was not an ideal time to be learning. There was no formal training available then, apart from that provided by some “private providers”.
In South Australia and western Victoria, and elsewhere in Australia, some competent shearers undertook shearer training on a “fee-paying” basis. ‘Trainers’ such as Henry Salter from Kerang held “Shearing Schools” in the lower South-East of SA. In one such school near Millicent, a group of about 12 young men, mainly teenagers, had paid for training in a 4-stand shearing shed. So at any time there were at least 8 of them unoccupied. As they were unoccupied for long periods of time these “learners” could be an occupational hazard for the trainees actually learning to shear. Furthermore the form of training contravened the then Australian Workers Union ‘rules’ that shearers should not pay to learn to shear.
Early Department of Agriculture involvement in shearer training
In 1956, Brian Jefferies, from the South Australian Department of Agriculture initiated training in skills of ‘crutching’ as part of a ‘blowfly control’ extension program, free of cost to the trainees. Stan Green was employed as a part-time shearing instructor and between 1956 and 1965 some 550 young people were trained in blowfly control practices that included crutching and shearing handpiece maintenance. The training was conducted in farmers sheds across the state under the supervision and guidance of Stan and Brian, who ensured that safety was an important consideration for all in the shed at that time.
I joined the Department in 1960 and set about improving the preparation of farm woolclips. I was a qualified and experienced woolclasser and had observed the number of under-prepared woolclips presented for sale. In 1961 the Department of Agriculture through Andrew Brown and Stan Green, initiated Shearing Shed Management Courses, aiming to improve the preparation of farm woolclips and at the same time providing shearing training.
The shearing training was usually the attraction for most of the trainees, as most were not particularly interested in woolclip preparation, as this task was often undertaken by their father at shearing time. In later years the Australian Wool Corporation endorsed “Owner Classer” training courses so that farm woolclips were then prepared by ‘owners’ who had at least sound woolclip preparation skills.
Groups of farmers from the local Bureau branches welcomed the opportunity to enhance their livestock and cereal cropping skills. The Shearing Shed Management Courses, conducted in association with the Agricultural Bureau movement, were a most successful extension program. Between July 1961 and March 1967, some 537 young farmers were trained in shearing and woolhandling skills in 58 Shearing Shed Management Courses. A suitable shearing shed and sheep were provided for the courses led by Stan Green. Training included handpiece operation and maintenance, grinding combs and cutters and the shearing technique demonstrated and supervised by Stan.
Alan Harris and I would present all aspects of woolclip preparation from picking up the fleece to pressing and branding. Instruction also included preparation of the Woolclassers Woolclip Specification and details of sheep management for shearing, and transmissible diseases of sheep that were relevant to shearers. We also showed 16mm films depicting woolclip preparation and wool marketing.
The shearer training courses were initially held over a three day period and later increased to five days. Ten students were allotted to a 4-stand shed and eight to a 3-stand shed. The groups were divided into two groups rotating between shearing and woolhandling. There was a marked improvement in their shearing proficiency and many finishing the course were able to shear 40 to 60 sheep per day.
The Department of Agriculture also offered a 5-day Advanced Shearing Shed Management Course for trainees to gain further experience and develop a career as a shearer. These courses were conducted at the Weapons Research Establishment at Salisbury, utilising their shearing shed and some of their 8000 head sheep flock with the support of the Curator Matt Fizgerald. Two of the Advanced courses were held between July 1961 and March 1967.
Tony Ryan and I had been invited to go to Melbourne to attend a shearing instructors training program in 1964. Vin Parkes had been the solo part-time Australian Wool Board/Corporation (AWC) instructor prior to this. Having visited New Zealand to observe their shearing methods, he developed the “Tally Hi” method more suited to the Australian merino. The AWC then engaged a shearing instructor for each state after those selected completed an intensive “Tally Hi”” training course in Melbourne. Their task was also to market this method to woolgrowers.
Dr George Moule, a veterinarian who was in charge of Research Grants from the Australian Wool Board (later Corporation) and had previously been head of the Sheep Husbandry Branch in the Queensland Department of Primary industries, and Les Batten, the head of the Wool Corporations’ Wool Fashion Parades throughout Australia, successfully developed marketing strategies for woolgrowers, contractors and shearers.
It was decided that the shearer training service would be called the “Quality Shearing Coaching Service” with a coach in each state. At that time Tony was employed by the South Australian Department of Agriculture but we saw ourselves closely aligned to the Wool Corporation. Over the next few years some 87, mostly young professionals, were coached under this improved training course in SA. During this time average tallies increased by 21 sheep per day
Woolgrower and pastoralists, Ralph Nutt made his Cumamona and Pandurra (near Whyalla) studs available for training purposes. Ian McTaggart, Nonning, Gawler Ranges joined the program. Training took place over 8-10 weeks. To make this arrangement financially viable, considering the trainee versus contractor costs, alterations increased the Pandurra shed from 5 to 6 stands. Fewer shed staff were required, so to the owner, the group of trainee shearers was similar to using a team of shearing contractors.
Ralph Nutt's son, Bruce, has continued the shearer training in these sheds, a testament to the quality of the training and the co-operation of woolgrowers. If it weren’t for these woolgrowers, training in this way would not have commenced at that time.
Our vision for training was to be ‘hands on’ in the industry. This meant transporting the courses to the sheds, setting up classroom like situations, sometimes requiring power for evening sessions where we used videos and TV for instruction. Speakers were also invited to inform trainees on specialized topics such as insurance, transmissible diseases and industrial issues. Later, the theory components were provided more efficiently in Adelaide prior to the trainees ‘going bush’.
To improve the low image of shearers during the 1950s and 60s a Shearing Judges Training Course was set up at the Roseworthy Agricultural College. This resulted in standardization of judging techniques, ensuring that competition shearers would be judged competently and efficiently.
To cater for the strong Rural Youth movement at the time, a Shearing and Woolhandling Team Competition was developed. The aim was to respond to the need for high performing shearing sheds and teamwork in the shed. These competitions ran for about five years.
A further innovation was when Tony provided quality shearing demonstrations in the ‘Tally Hi’ technique. This involved us conducting demonstrations wherever we could get together a group of ‘leading’ woolgrowers and or shearing contractors. I recall one such demonstration in the car park behind a city building adjacent to the General Post Office, in Adelaide. For these demonstrations we had to bring in sheep and a portable shearing plant for a demonstration lasting perhaps 20 or 30 minutes. Similar demonstrations were also conducted in association with shearer training courses.
My duties changed in 1969 when I was appointed Sheep and Wool Extension Officer for the Pastoral Areas. I did however continue my interest in shearer training. The Department’s Shearing Shed Management Courses and Woolclip Extension services were then capably managed by Alan Harris. Alan had joined the South Australian Department of Agriculture from Elder Smith &Co Ltd in 1965, having strong valuing and marketing experience.
Alan lifted the Department’s woolclip extension service to new heights and the training program delivered was equal to and generally better than those of other State Departments of Agriculture.
TAFE Rural Studies Lecturer
On transferring to TAFE as a Rural Studies Lecturer in 1975, my initial task there was to re-write the ageing Woolclassing course. This involved adding new information on handpiece care and maintenance, grinding combs and cutters, shearing shed management and preparing shearing team wages.
To complement the course I produced a series of video tapes with Greg Germein, then recently retired from the Australian Wool Corporation as State Shearing Coach. To assist with the woolclassing skills area, I also introduced practical skills training and assessment at the TAFE School of Wool and Textiles to this hitherto wholly ‘external study’ course. In about 1969 this external study Woolclassing Course had been wholly transferred to the School of Wool and Textiles, and in my TAFE role I went on to develop training materials and to oversee the delivery of the new Rural Office Practice Course across Australia.
The ‘core’ woolclassing materials were subsequently used for ‘in-service training’ by the Australian Wool Corporation, and by woolclassing training institutions in the other States.
Through counselling and course content, the focus of the student cohort changed from one of spinners and weavers and hobby farmers to those aspiring to upgrade their skills and knowledge in the wool harvesting industry or enter it.
Post retirement interests
My association with woolharvesting training continued after my retirement from TAFE in 1995 as I developed training materials for the industry on a contract basis, thus maintaining contact with the wool industry.
Tony Ryan’s depth of experience in the Industry as a shearer and shearing contractor in the South Australian Pastoral areas enabled him to have a big influence on the shearer training programs in SA and nationally. As a colleague, I consider without his ability to liaise with property owners and shearers alike, the innovative courses conducted in SA could not have occurred. Although our backgrounds were vastly different, we respected and built on the experiences and skills of each other, to provide at the time, one of the most respected shearer training program in Australia.
There was a short lapse in the provision of structured shearing instruction until the State Government funded a “Private Provider”, Ausgro Training Network Services Inc for this rural training. Ausgro continued with the Improver Shearer training, using the initial sheds commenced in 1975, and other sheds, employing part-time instructors for this purpose. Their program continued to be funded by the State Government together with “fee for service” monies paid by the trainees. This continued until 2003 when the Minister responsible for education and training, the Hon Jane Lomax-Smith became concerned about the funding of this program, and instituted a review to of it.
I was asked to conduct this review, and after extensive industry consultation recommended that shearer training be provided by TAFE in conjunction with their existing Woolclasser training program, for which the funding would be integrated with that provided for Woolclasser training. Additionally, I recommended that an advisory committee should be established to oversee the shearing and woolclassing training to ensure that these met with the ongoing needs of the wool industry. This committee, the Woolharvesting Training Advisory Group (WoolTAG) was established and reviewed again in 2009. The current (2021) arrangement for WoolTAG can be seen at: https://livestocksa.org.au/industry-development/wooltag
TAFE continued to manage Shearer training from its Roseworthy College Campus until June 30 2020. The Shearing Contractors Association of Australia subsequently took on the role of training the next generation of shearers, shed hands and wool classers in SA.
Andrew Brown, November 2021
Postscript
Since July 2020 the Shearing Contractors Association of Australia has replaced TAFE in the role of training shearers, shed hands and wool classers in South Australia.
Addendum – Falkland Islands Trainee Shearers
In the late 1980s. a proposal arose from the Falkland Islands, a British territory off the south-eastern coast of South America towards Antarctica. Since the Falklands contained several large sheep stations, some of its young men had trained as shearers and it was suggested they come to South Australia for work-experience in local shearing teams for six months. This they did.
In 2001, when in Stanley, capital of the Falklands, to participate in a research project, the opportunity arose to enquire what had been the outcome of their experience. What was found was that the young shearers had learned that with their skills, they could develop a career of travelling the world as shearers. They had done so in New Zealand, Europe, Britain and North America. They had done well for themselves. As a result, one had ordered a kit home from Scotland and impressively assembled it himself on the outskirts of Stanley during his “off season”.
The South Australian industry, particularly the quality of the shearer training, had contributed to their success.
Dr John Radcliffe – personal contribution