Diabetes Australia has been announced as the partner charity for the Australian Fleece Competition to be held at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo, Victoria, in July.
Coinciding with National Diabetes Week, organisers have chosen to donate money raised by the sale of the fleeces to the national body for people affected by and at risk of diabetes.
The competition is a joint partnership between the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA), Landmark and the Australian Sheep Breeders Association (ASBA).
Diabetes Australia has been announced as the partner charity for the Australian Fleece Competition to be held at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo in July.
Coinciding with National Diabetes Week, organisers have chosen to donate money raised by the sale of the fleeces to the national body for people affected by and at risk of diabetes.
The competition is the largest fully tested fleece show in the world, with a total prize pool of more than $16,000.
Last year, about 200 exhibitors from across Australia have entered nearly 500 fleeces in 15 separate sections ranging from extra-ultrafine to strong Merino, Dohne, Samm, Polwarth, Corriedale, and British and other breeds.
The competition caters for both stud and commercial woolgrowers and in the past few years there has been an equal share of stud and commercial fleeces.
All competition fleeces are weighed and sampled for objective measurements, including length and strength, under standard procedures of the AWTA.
In the past 15 years, $116,000 has been raised for national charities.
No entry fee is charged; instead, exhibitors must donate their fleeces.
Diabetes Australia spokesperson Renza Scibilia said funds raised would help the organisation improve programs and services delivered to people living with diabetes, healthcare professionals and educational staff.
In 2015, over 181,000 people accessed Diabetes Australia’s face-to-face support services, through 57 different programs across the country.
