Michelle Walker has been a woolclasser for 20 years and has been competing in wool handling for 12 years.

She said growing up on her father’s wool farm had instilled in her a passion for the fibre.

“I’ve been competing for 12 years, it’s something I’ve grown up with, but for me it really is the social aspect,” she said. “It’s about travelling and meeting new people and helping the industry.”

The Jackie Howe Festival of the Golden Shears is a three-day sheep and wool festival held at the  Jondaryan Woolshed – a wool shed that was powered by steam in the 1800s.

Part of the festival includes a historic reenactment of the woolshed that showcases to the public how the shed used to perform using a steam engine and steam-powered shears.

Ms Walker said wool handling was judged on a competitor’s ability to conduct the various steps involved with wool classing – such as how they prepare the belly fleece, throw the fleece, cover the wool table and separate the different parts. Each element is individually judged and competitors are awarded points in how well the complete them. It is also a timed event.

“But timing isn’t everything, you could do a really good job with everything else and take a minute longer,” she said.

Other Tasmanian competitors are Kellie Hazel (wool handlers) from Cressy, Steve Rigby (shearing), from Fingal and Robert Glover (shearing), from the Central Highlands. Mr Rigby, the state shearing champion, has been invited to the Jackie Howe Festival of the Golden Shears once before and said the event was held in high esteem by his industry’ peers.

“I’ve been a couple of times now and I would put it alongside competing at the world titles,” he said.

Mr Rigby, who has been a shearer for 27 years, placed fifth the last time he was at the event and said he hoped he was a bit fitter for this year’s event.

Shearing is judged on quality and time and judges will slowly add more sheep to the rotation as the heats go on into semi-finals and finals.

“I’ve had some health issues in the past which is why I haven’t been able to attend but I’m fighting fit now and trying to get as much practice in as I can until the festival,” he said.

The Jackie Howe Festival will be held in at the Jondaryan Woolshed, Queensland on September 2-4.

For more information go to www.jondaryanwoolshed.com.au/jackie-howe-festival-golden-shears