Narrandera High School Year 9 Agriculture class had considerable success, including bringing home the title of the most successful school in the National school goat competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

The team also competed at the National Angora Goat Show last week with stud and commercial animals.

Due to COVID, the National Show was cancelled and the commercial class was removed from Sydney.

Undeterred, eight students, eight animals and two teachers, Matt Shady and Emma Charles, set off for Sydney in their Easter holidays to participate in the school section of the Show.

After having their animals being placed into quarantine as a precaution, the students had to ask other exhibitors to borrow their animals for the junior paraders competition.

After a nervous start, everyone settled into a rhythm and began to build their knowledge of how the world of showing animals is done.

Many NHS students achieved places in this section, with David Beard taking out second place overall.

On the second day, Tuesday April 5, the school animals were cleared from quarantine and completed in their respective classes.

This culminated in being awarded many first, second and third places and eventually champion and reserve champion school in the Angora Goat section of the show.

The highlight of the last day was Narrandera High being declared the most successful school in the School Goat competition.

NHS principal Marni Milne said the school was extremely proud of these students, animals and the staff that led this successful trip.

“Agriculture teacher Matt Shady has our school farm looking superb with the help of farm assistant Dave Marwood and has been the inspiration behind our school goats,” she said.

“We have been showing Angora goats for three years with the help of Sunny Ridge Angoras at The Rock and Illoura Angora Stud at Corobimilla.

“A huge thanks also goes to Emma Charles for accompanying Matt and the students on this trip and for her ongoing support of the agriculture program at Narrandera High.

“We hope to compete is Ballarat in July as this will build on the experience of Sydney.

“I am proud of the opportunities we are able to offer our students at Narrandera High – whether this being through agriculture, sport, academic or cultural pursuits.”