The use of Corriedales in agricultural teaching programs by several Mornington Peninsula schools has sparked the setting up of three mini-studs in the region.
Former and current students from Woodleigh School, Langwarrin South and Elisabeth Murdoch College, Langwarrin, have set up their own studs as a result of involvement in the programs.
All say they hope to expand their studs, once their studies are finished.
Melbourne University veterinary science student Daniel Mosele, a former Woodleigh student, is one of several young people who have registered a stud, Woolondoon, at Baxter.
As a team leader of the Corriedale program, his interest in the sheep was sparked by other breeders.
His foundation ram, Freddie, was purchased from Sweetfield Corriedales, when he bought a pregnant ewe from the stud.
He’s grown up well, he has a really nice fleece, he won best sire’s fleece at Bendigo, last year, now he has gone on to breed us some very good looking lambs.
- Woolondoon stud principal, Daniel Mosele.
“He’s grown up well, he has a really nice fleece, he won best sire’s fleece at Bendigo, last year, now he has gone on to breed us some very good looking lambs,” Mr Mosele said. “Some of them we will sell, while we have him we don’t need too many of his offspring.”’
He said he was hopeful that Woolondoon would grow, in the coming years.
“It will take time, I think I am limited to what I can do while I am at uni, but that’s the plan, we are making progress every year, and I am optimistic,” he said.
“I think it is a credit to the Corriedale Association it has happened, they are very generous and supportive of young people.”
Mr Mosele runs his 30 sheep at an old racehorse stables, at Baxter, a site shared by current Woodleigh student, Tess Runting.
He said he liked the breed, for its dual purpose characteristics, its hardiness and mothering attributes.
In 2014, Mr Mosele topped the 16 years and older category of the Corriedale junior judging.
Montone Corriedale stud, Langwarrin, was founded by former Murdoch College student Bridget Leahy, who is now studying agriculture at La Trobe University.
She used a Yalambi Farm ram this year for spring drop lambs after starting the stud with four Fairburn, Porcupine Ridge, ewes in 2014.
The stud’s 15 sheep are run in a semi-rural part of Langwarrin.
Ms Leahy said she ‘fell in love’ with the Corriedales, run as part of Murdoch’s agricultural program.
“Most people do music as a school activity – I did farming,” Ms Leahy said.
She said she was in her second year of an agricultural degree at La Trobe University, with the eventual aim of moving into the wool industry, possibly broking, when she finished.
Ms Leahy said she was preparing a team for the Australian Sheep and Wool Show (ASWS).
“I am really looking forward to it – I am only taking a young ewe and a mature aged ewe,” she said.
“We are competing against breeders who have been doing it for generations, so just to go and get some positive comments would be all right, really.”
The main aim of the stud was to show the sheep it produced, as there were not a lot of opportunities to run a large flock.
She said expansion plans were on the horizon, although not at that site.
She runs the Corriedales with her boyfriend, Kane Hildred’s Boonong Park Hampshire Downs stud.
Woodleigh year 12 student Tess Runting has followed in Daniel Mosele’s steps, running 30 sheep at the Baxter property.
She has also registered a stud, Moralla, as well as continuing her interest in the Woodleigh show team.
“I have a show team of five adults, and three or four lambs, one bottle fed,” Ms Runting said.
“I’m hoping I will do pretty well, I am very happy with my sheep this year; they have all improved in condition, since I brought them to the new property.”
There was more room at the Baxter property, enabling her and Mr Mosele to do more with the flocks.
Ms Runting said her aim was to produce wool which could be used in craft activities, such as spinning, weaving, dying and felting.
“I am really into selling their wool and breeding some real good wool, from my Corries, so I can inspire people who might not have previously had an interest in wool, to get into it,” Ms Runting said.
There were 25 students involved in the Woodleigh team, this year, and Ms Runting said she would be involved in that, as well as showing her own animals.
“I got involved with the school team through year seven, I always loved animals as I kid, and I was Daniel’s sidekick.”
The stud had used Liberton HC 101/12; Woodleigh 122/13; and Woolondoon 10/13 this year. It had also added a ewe from Venters (Liberton).
Ms Runting said she was looking at a gap year, before starting an agricultural course, where she intended to do work experience on sheep and horse properties.
“I’m interested in a lot of areas of agriculture, not just he sheep side – I’m looking at working for a couple of months at a few different Corriedale studs and a few different horse places, to get some idea of where I want to go,” she said.
Ms Runting said the stud would continue, even if she was working on other properties during the gap year.
“My parents are quite involved, I have been teaching them everything I have learned, and some of the Woodleigh kids will be involved, so it will be spread among a few people.”
