Sheep Industry News August 2025

U.S. Shearing Championship Results T he U.S. Sheep Shearing Championship was held June 6th and 7th at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Roseburg, Oregon. The competition featured coarse wool, cross • Wool Handling: 1st – Brook Williams (Wanamingo, MN) 2nd – Doug Rathke (Hutchison, MN) 3rd – Helen Astin (Hermosa, SD) 4th – Katherine Moser (Larchwood, IA)

bred ewes generously provided by local commercial producers Dan Dawson, Chad Furlong, and Tom O’Conner. In a collabora tive effort to promote wool utilization, Soundview Fiber Mill of Washington purchased 1,200 pounds of wool from the event, which will be processed into commemorative rugs. A total of fifty-one competitors participated, representing a range of experience levels. Among them were brothers Juan and Nativi dad Cornejo from California, who showcased the traditional Mexican style of shearing, where sheep are laid on their side and the belly is sheared upward instead of downward. Additionally, three beginner shearers took part virtually, completing timed and judged runs through the Oregon Sheep Growers Association Beginner Shearing School held prior to the championship. Winners by Division: • Beginner: 1st – Leslie Sullivan (Hartland, VT) 2nd – Jake Sexton (Haines, OR)

In addition to the official competition, a pop-up speed shear event was held Friday night in the parking lot of a local bar and grill. Twenty-four competitors took their chances shear ing lambs using a shearing machine strapped to the side of a stock trailer. While most spectators came with the shearers, bar patrons also joined the crowd. No lambs escaped, and Paul Astin won the event.

3rd – Flora Winters (Creswell, OR) 4th – Juan Cornejo (Gustine, CA)

1st – Leslie Sullivan

• Intermediate: 1st – Blade Thomsen (Turner, OR) 2nd – Henry Shere (Laytonville, CA) 3rd – Tirzah Gunther (Luverne, MN) 4th – Mary Lake (Randolph Center, VT) • Open: 1st – Paul Astin (Hermosa, SD) 2nd – Chad Furlong (Roseburg, OR) 3rd – Alex Moser (Larchwood, IA) 4th – Timothy Wright (Byron Center, MI) 5th – Marcus Irrthum (Wanamingo, MN) 6th – Loren Opstedahl (Union Center, SD) 7th – John Quimby (Idleyld Park, OR) 8th – Matthew Bean (Penngrove, CA) • Blade: 1st – Loren Opstedahl (Union Center, SD) 2nd – Doug Rathke (Hutchison, MN) 3rd – Mary Lake (Randolph Center, VT) 4th – Kevin Ford (Charlemont, MA)

1st – Brook Williams

Jake Valentine, Judge Bob Murray and Dan Dawson in the Open preliminaries.