The Woman Inspiring a New Generation of Farmers
Farming in the UK has seen an increase in female shearers entering the industry. As a result more women take part in shearing competitions.
In particular as the agricultural show season kicking off from May. One woman, Susie Parish, an award-winning shearer and British Wool Ambassador based in Hampshire. Continues to inspire women across the UK to become shearers.
Susie’s expertise in shearing began at the age of 16. Prior to this, she worked with sheep from age 10 on her family’s smallholding. Then, when a local shearer failed to turn up one day, she took matters into her own hands and instantly found her calling.
Since that time, she has competed in shearing and wool-handling competitions across the UK. As a result, winning the prestigious Ladies Competition at the Royal Welsh Show multiple times and is set to compete at the Royal Highland Show in 2025. Currently, Susie judges junior shearing competitions, therefore ensuring the next generation of shearers are given the opportunity to develop their skills. Susie, said:
“Over the past five years, I’ve seen a remarkable increase in female shearers entering the industry, particularly women and girls competing in shearing and wool handling competitions, encouragingly who are incredibly young and already so talented.
“It’s so important that woman represent their skills at these shows not only to inspire the next generation, but furthermore to preserve a traditional skill. For example it was a privilege to discover Marie Prebble, previous sheep-shearing World Record holder, pursued a shearing career after seeing me compete at a show.”
Susie’s drive to become a successful shearer and farmer stems from her passion of British wool. She said:
“Like so many people, I am passionate about British wool and it’s so important to shift outdated perceptions, particularly among older generations who remember wool as itchy.”
“Wool is one of the most sustainable materials we have; it’s breathable, biodegradable, and versatile. I want to ensure people understand just how valuable it is in fashion, interiors, home insulation, and so much more.”
Outside the competitions, Susie has used her platform to educate the public on the value of wool and the realities of sheep farming, having appeared on Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend, Countryfile, and notably even sheared a sheep live on The Jeremy Vine Show. Susie, said:
“What’s more the 2025 show season starts in just a few months’ time and I’m really looking forward to seeing a whole new wave of women visit for the first time, participate in competitions and feel inspired by the wealth of talent we have across the UK. I’d always encourage, whether from a farming background or not, people take the time to visit their nearest agricultural show and see first-hand the passion and determination from our farmers.”
Lambing Season with Susie Parish
Lambing season is always an exciting time on our farm. As a low-input, fibre-focused operation, our approach is relaxed and natural, allowing our ewes to lamb with minimal intervention. Our flock is made up of three breeds, the Gotland sheep, known for their long, grey, lustrous, and curly fleece, originating from the Isle of Gotland in Sweden. Our own Stein sheep, a crossbreed we have developed to produce a fleece with an exceptionally high softness factor alongside its lustre, and a small flock of Shetlands for our conservation grazing.
Our lambing season kicks off in April with the first group, followed on by the other groups through May and into mid-June. By staggering our lambing period, we ensure that we can manage the process smoothly, with plenty of time to monitor the flock while still maintaining a low-stress environment. The ewes lamb outside, which aligns with our low-input philosophy. They only get hay and general-purpose molasses tubs, without the need for additional concentrates.
Easy Lambing and Maternal Instincts
One of the advantages of our breeds is their easy lambing. Gotlands and our Stein sheep are light, narrow-framed ewes, making birthing relatively straightforward. They rarely require assistance, and their strong maternal instincts mean that they take excellent care of their lambs. My role is primarily to keep an eye on the flock, ensuring all is going well and catching up lambs to ring the ram lambs when needed. Tail docking is seldom necessary, as Gotlands naturally have short tails, and our crossbreds also inherit reasonably short tails.
Since we farm for fibre rather than meat production, there is no urgency for the lambs to grow quickly. Our breeding strategy reflects this, as we typically lamb for replacements and maintain a significant number of wethers in the flock. To ensure our ewes remain in optimal condition, we rotate their lambing years, giving them a break between lambing cycles.
Challenges and Rewards of Lambing
While our own lambing season is generally laid-back, I do miss the hands-on aspect of more intensive lambing systems. Meaning I’m always eager to help friends nearby with any challenging births, no matter the time of day or night! There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of successfully delivering a lamb in a tricky situation.
The biggest challenge we face is the weather. Our flock is shorn in January or February, meaning that by lambing time, the ewes have short wool. In particularly wet years, if they are in fields without shelter, I sometimes need to bring a few back in to protect them from the elements. However, for the most part, lambing remains an enjoyable and rewarding time of year.
With the arrival of new lambs, we look forward to another year of producing high-quality fibre. Here’s to another smooth and successful lambing season!
Meet Our Shearing Admin Instructors
We’re thrilled to announce that our 2025 shearing courses went live on 3rd February 2025, and we can’t wait for you to secure your spot!
Our admin instructors liaise with farmers to secure new venues, coordinate with shearing instructors in their area, and feed information back to the shearing team at head office. Ensuring courses run smoothly and effectively.
We met with them to learn more about their background and the shearing process.
Andy Barratt – Southern England
“I am an agricultural fencing contractor and shearer. I began my career in the year 2000, which is now a quarter of a century ago! I take great pleasure in witnessing the progress of my trainees as they advance through the levels and achieve their goals, regardless of what they may be. Some trainees even go on to represent their country and set records! It is incredibly rewarding to know that I have played a part in their success.
I encourage everyone to attend as many shearing courses as possible and to focus on mastering the basics, particularly footwork. When the sheep is positioned correctly, the shearing action will follow naturally, and speed will develop with perseverance.
British Wool’s shearing and wool handling courses are an excellent way to learn vital skills and can open numerous opportunities within the industry. With the new advanced seals now recognised by Highfield, these qualifications are acknowledged across various sectors globally.
Competitions provide an excellent platform to showcase quality shearing, while records serve to raise public awareness, highlighting the skills of shearers and inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in shearing and wool handling.”
Hywel Wigley Jones – Wales
“I own a hill farm in North Wales, specialising solely in sheep. I began shearing at the age of 14, working alongside a local contractor and instructor for several years before establishing my own operation. I also spent a few seasons shearing in New Zealand, which provided me with invaluable experience.
I have been involved in shearing training for over 25 years, and it is immensely satisfying to witness trainees develop their shearing skills over the two-day course. Through this training, I have had the pleasure of meeting many people.
If you wish to learn how to shear, I recommend enrolling in a British Wool shearing course and attempting to secure a position with a local contractor. Shear, shear, and shear some more, and then consider joining another British Wool shearing course, where instructors will assist you in advancing your shearing abilities.
Wool handling courses are also crucial and are becoming increasingly popular. All these initiatives contribute to ensuring that our shearers and wool handlers are well-prepared when competing on a global scale.”
Kieran Mc Cullough – Northern Scotland
“I live and work on a mixed sheep and beef farm on the west coast of Scotland. I shear sheep for local farmers in my area. For the past seven years, I have been involved in British Wool shearing training.
I take great pleasure in meeting trainees, both old and new, and watching them develop their skills. For those keen to learn, I advise them to attend courses and then put their knowledge into practice.
The courses offered by British Woll are the cornerstone of the industry in which we aspire to be involved. Our shearers and wool handlers are a testament to their own abilities and to what we can produce in the Northern Hemisphere.”
Meet Richard Alderson – Head of Wool Sales
What does your role as Head of Wool Sales entail?
My main role at British Wool is the link between our depots, where the wool is received and graded through to our auction buyers. I work closely with our quality control team to ensure the wool is graded to the high standard expected by the buyers as this is essential to maximise the price achieved. I have regular discussions with both our UK and overseas buyers to ensure the wool they buy meets expected standards and that the flow of wool through our auctions is meeting any demand they may see.
A lot of work goes into preparing the auction from building it through to pricing ready for auction day itself – along with my colleague Jen, we would run the auction. I also work with any potential new buyers explaining our grades and advising which types would fit their specific requirements.
How long have you been at British Wool and worked in the wool industry?
I joined British Wool in 2018 but have worked in the wool industry for 40 years. I spent the first 30 years of my wool journey working for wool merchants and over those years I bought millions of kilos at the very same auctions I now run. I also spent the best part of 18 months working at a scouring plant overseeing production and quality.
How is the current market in terms of prices and demand?
Demand for British wool from the very 1st auction of the season in early July has been fantastic, we have seen virtually full clearances in all 10 auctions held so far in the 2024/25 season. The average price achieved at auction this season has increased by nearly 25%. The nearest comparable market to the UK is New Zealand which historically used to sell at a premium over British but in more recent seasons the price of UK wool has tracked New Zealand wool and vice versa.
We are seeing the highest prices at auction since 2018, why is this?
The simplistic answer would be demand meeting and outstripping supply, and whilst this is the major factor, it’s how demand has increased that has made the difference. British Wool has worked tirelessly with many manufacturers and retailers to encourage them to either increase the amount of British wool they use in the case of manufacturers and for retail to insist that the products they sell are made from or include British wool. This demand then flows back to the auction buyers increasing the competitiveness in the auction and making British wool less of a traded commodity as buyers are committed to using British wool and can’t substitute for cheaper options.
There has also been a shift albeit slow from consumers trying to move away from fast fashion made from planet-damaging man-made fibres onto more sustainable environmentally friendly woollen goods.
I must add that like most of the world, sheep numbers in the UK have fallen, meaning less wool is available and this cannot be ignored as a factor.
How important is the auction system in maximizing the price of wool for our members?
Since the creation of the British Wool Marketing Board in 1950 the wool has always been sold at auction, and this is still the best vehicle for maximising the price of the wool. The auctions have moved from being originally open cry to becoming electronic in the late 90’s and since 2020 and the outbreak of Covid they have been held online. By holding the sale online this takes away the need for the buyers to attend the sale in person at our Head Office in Bradford. It gives them the freedom to log on from, in principle anywhere in the world on a PC, tablet, or even mobile phone. Since going online our registered buyers have attended the auctions remotely which has helped the auctions become much more competitive.
Are there any exciting projects that you’re working on at the moment?
We have projects running all the time and far too many to list, a large number are in the traditional applications where wool has always been used such as carpets, home furnishing and knitwear but we don’t dismiss any ideas put to us no matter how far off the wall they may seem. Wool, particularly British wool is a very versatile fibre and shouldn’t be pigeon-holed into a limited number of applications. My biggest and constantly ongoing project is to increase participants in our auctions which will only help maximise returns to our members.
Educating Consumers on the Wonders of Wool
Increasing consumer awareness is a key part of our marketing strategy. This is all designed to increase front-end demand for British wool rich products and increase the price of our members wool; a key tool to achieving this is PR.
During the past 12 months, we have seen a significant increase in consumer press coverage, with 160 pieces secured across national and regional media.
Graham Clark, Marketing Director, said:
“Over the past three years, British Wool has focused on two main areas: Increasing the number of brands using British wool in their products (through the licensing scheme) and increasing brand awareness amongst consumers.
PR plays a crucial part in this as it allows us to target a wide audience through our activity. During this time, we have secured coverage across many different national publications such as The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Financial Times, as well as great regional press coverage. This is key as we strive to drive more consumer demand for British wool rich products.”
Working with influencers is also key as Graham, added:
“Working with influencers can boost consumer awareness dramatically and we have been very fortunate to work with three great influencers over the past 12 months; Shaun the Sheep, Patrick Grant (Great British Sewing Bee) and the comedian Joe Lycett.”
Examples of the coverage gained on the back of these partnerships include:
- Over 350,000 views of the first Shaun the Sheep social media collaboration.
- Radio interview with Patrick Grant played 952 times with 120,000 views across social media.
- 36,000 likes on a post by Joe Lycett about a jumper he had made from British wool.
Graham said:
“We don’t just target the consumer through PR, we also use social media (over 110k consumer followers across our channels), exhibitions and events, working with our licensee partners and the British Wool online shop, where sales have increased by 20% during the past 12 months.
It is great to see the amount of coverage secured over the past 12 months through our PR activity and digital channels. This is helping us push the British Wool brand to new audiences who are increasingly looking for more sustainable options when making purchasing decisions.”
Meet Emma Jagger – Shearing Supervisor
Emma Jagger is the Shearing Supervisor and has been with British Wool since January 2019. Along with our Shearing Manager, Richard Schofield, and a small team of Area Admin Instructors, we organise and promote our Shearing Courses.
Tell is more about your role.
This role is logistics-heavy and requires coordination with farms across the UK to provide sheep for shearing, suitable spaces to hold courses, our talented shearing instructors, and a fleet of shearing trailers and machines. These elements ensure the best opportunities for hands-on training.
What are your key responsibilities?
My key responsibilities is managing our booking website, including uploading new courses and monitoring participant numbers. I also provide trainees with detailed information on what to expect during a shearing course and issue certificates upon completion.
Tell us a bit about your experience in shearing.
Recognising the importance of understanding the trainee experience, and not being from a farming background I attended a shearing course. This firsthand experience assisted me in addressing trainee questions and concerns effectively. I am proud to have achieved my Blue Seal with the guidance and patience of my instructors, Roger and Stuart.
If you are interested in attending one of our courses in 2025, they will now be available to book via our website, Book Online.
What other areas do you cover in your role?
Part of my role is attending agricultural shows, where I meet individuals who have benefitted from our training. Hearing about their achievements – from competing and travelling abroad to breaking British and World Records – is truly inspirational.
Tell me a bit about yourself.
Outside of work, I enjoy travelling in my self-built campervan, often to destinations near water where I can (albeit wobbly) paddleboard, or theme parks as I am a massive rollercoaster enthusiast. I love crafting and experimenting with new creative pursuits. My current obsessions include working with polymer clay and using my Cricut machine. Above all, I love spending time with my son and husband.
Shearing Courses go LIVE in February
Our shearing team will publishing its list of shearing courses for the 2025 season on the 3rd of February. Our experienced team of instructors will run over 100 courses between April and August this year, offering tuition in machine and blade shearing, and wool handling.
British Wool shearing courses are designed to develop good technique and shearing practice from the outset. Courses cover key topics relating to shearing such as health and safety, the shearing environment, equipment, shearing technique, and care for your wool.
Courses generally last two days, are held on farm and have a high instructor-to-student ratio to ensure you get the best advice. Content is tailored by ability; Beginners can learn the basic technique and work towards a Blue Seal, Intermediate courses will help you improve your technique to either Bronze or Silver Seal standard, and Advanced courses will help those who already have some experience to refine their technique and support the skills required for competitive shearing at the highest level.
British Wool courses are recognised worldwide and our higher-level qualifications are accredited by Highfield Training which helps facilitate your shearing career by being recognised internationally as a professional qualification.
If you wish to find out more or discuss whether you would be suitable to attend an advanced course please contact British Wool’s shearing team by emailing [email protected].
Last year more than 850 people attended one of British Wool’s training courses, to book on a course in 2025 please visit our website from the 3rd of February onwards.
Book online
Alternatively, for more information call
Emma Jagger – 01274 688666
Richard Schofield – 07966 291618
Or email [email protected]
Additional courses will also be publicised on the British Wool Farm Facebook and Instagram page.
Meet Our Shearing Instructor – Andy Barratt
We have over 90 shearing instructors who collectively have over 100 plus years of experience. We spent some time getting to know Andy Barratt from Sailsbury one of our instructors in England.
Details of your farm/shearing/business?
I am an agricultural fencing contractor and shearer.
How long have you been involved in British Wool training?
I started in the year 2000, so a quarter of a decade!
What do you enjoy about your role instructing for British Wool?
I enjoy seeing the trainees progress through the levels and accomplish their goals no matter what they are. Some trainees even go on to represent their country and break records! That’s a great feeling to know you’ve helped them.
What would be your advice to those wanting to learn to shear be?
Go on as many shearing courses as you can and get the basics right especially footwork. If the sheep is in the right position the blow will just happen, speed will come with perseverance.
How important are the shearing and wool handling courses British Wool offers?
British Wool’s shearing and wool handling courses are a fantastic way to learn essential skills and will open opportunities in the field. With the advanced seals now, Highfield accredited they are recognised across all industries worldwide.
We’ve seen in recent years that the UK is leading the way on the competitive shearing stage and records. How important are these in raising awareness and in supporting our shearers?
Competitions are a great way of showing quality shearing and Records are a great way to raise public awareness, showcasing shearers skills and inspiring the next generation into shearing and wool handling.
Why Attend A Shearing Course from Matt Smith
With our Young Farmers discount announced for another year across our shearing courses. We caught up with Shearer and our very own Ambassador, Matt Smith, to discover why he believes shearing courses are so important.
What motivated you to become a Shearer?
“I grew up in New Zealand in the shearing industry, and right from the get-go, I knew I was going to be interested in this.”
At what age did you start Shearing?
“Growing up in the industry, I was fortunate to shear my first sheep at the age of 13.”
Where has shearing taken you in the world?
“I have been lucky to travel the globe. Experiencing shearing in a variety of locations including New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, and of course, Great Britain.”
How many shearing courses have you attended and where?
“Up until the age of 17, I attended a shearing course every year. Thanks to my dedication and practice, I was proud to say I could shear an impressive 500 sheep with skill and confidence!”
Would you say that attending these courses has improved your shearing ability?
“It’s easy to fall into bad habits, but attending courses regularly can help you overcome them.”
What seal have you gained?
“I proudly earned a Gold Seal in New Zealand.”
Why would you recommend attending a course to potential new trainees coming into the industry?
“It is important to understand that there is no right or wrong. You can learn from everyone and become more efficient by learning from multiple people.”
Would you say it is important to attend multiple courses?
“It’s impossible to retain and learn everything at once; mastering one area will help the other areas make more sense.”
What would be your top tips for attending a shearing course to get the most out of it?
“Gaining experience can be valuable, even if it differs from what you were shown/expected at the start doesn’t mean it can’t help you.”
Wool Symposium
The National Sheep Association Next Generation Wool Symposium 2024 took place at our Head Office in Bradford on the 14th and 15th of October.
The Wool Symposium is a biennial event organised by NSA Next Generation and ourselves. It offers up to twelve young people aged from 18 to 35 the opportunity to go behind the scenes at our Bradford headquarters and debate the UK wool sector and the role of young people within it.
The symposium is ideal for young sheep farmers and wool enthusiasts to gain a more thorough understanding of this fantastic fibre, the processes involved in taking it from farm to consumer and the role sheep farmers can have in ensuring the best return is achieved.
The journey started at Bradford Headquarters, with Andrew Hogley, the CEO, giving participants an insight into British Wool and the latest trends. This was followed by an insightful tour in our depot, experiencing the wool grading process and preparation of members wool for auction. The day finished with a presentation from Graham Clark, Marketing Director, on end-user marketing and the many initiatives in place and work being done to promote British wool to consumers.
The next day, started off with a demonstration showing the auction process, which included an insight into the type of wool sold and how the auctioneers work to gain the best price for wool. The next stop Haworth Scouring to experience what happens once the wool has been sold, from blending the wool to washing and combing. The final visit was the onsite testing lab to gain knowledge on the types of tests conducted, not just on the wool fibres but the waste too.
Colin Jarvis, Area Manager, and Claire Jenkins, Member Administration Manager, from British Wool were hosts for the visit and Claire commented
“We thoroughly enjoyed out interaction with the members of the Wool Symposium. British Wool are committed to supporting the next generation who are a key group within our industry. Their profound passion for wool was evident and greatly appreciated.”
Nicola Noble, NSA Project Manager, joined the group and commented:
“It was an interesting two-day event filled with open discussion and a fantastic opportunity to engage with a group of passionate, young sheep farmers with the drive to understand, innovate and educate within the wool sector.”
Fiona Parker, NSA who organises the event tells us:
“The Wool Symposium is a joint initiative with British Wool which began in 2022, to give enthusiastic young sheep farmers the opportunity to see first-hand what happens at every step of the wool processing journey, from arrival at a grading depot to transformation at the scouring plant into a pristine fibre and the sale process at a British Wool auction.”
Tilly Abbott who attended the tour commented
“I had seen the wool symposium in previous years and always thought it would be a great educational point for both myself and to take on my shearing rounds. I am often involved within conventions with customers regarding wool and often get asked questions on why the wool value is ‘low’ and what they should do with their wool. I now feel that I am equipped to answer people’s questions and can back the valuable work British wool is doing to market our clips.”
Hannah Richardson one of the attendees tells us:
“I applied for the NSA Wool Symposium after returning to my family farm and seeing the disparity between the effort involved in shearing, wrapping, and sending off our wool compared to the prices we receive. I wanted to better understand the factors behind this decline in value and explore how the industry is addressing it. The symposium also provided a great opportunity to engage with experts and seek ways to improve the profitability and future of wool production. My biggest takeaway from the day was seeing the vast scale of the Bradford depot and the Haworth scouring plant, where I observed the full process from sorting fleeces which have been delivered to creating a mix and carding for specific colour and fibre orders. Additionally, I valued meeting industry experts who work behind the scenes to market and sell wool, which provided valuable insights into the industry’s operations and challenges.”
George Orphin from Kent, says
“As a sheep farmer and shearing our own Romney sheep on the farm the NSA Wool Symposium was a great opportunity to learn and see firsthand what happens to wool once it leaves the farm on its journey to the retailer. Wool is and has been at rock bottom prices so to some it’s not something to get overly excited about but the event made me aware of small things which can be done on the farm to add value to the fleece and I came away with a greater understanding of the grading systems and standards British Wool work to, traceability of wool and what happens in a Scouring plant. Sheep farming and Shearing are both hard jobs, so wool wants to become a valued product rather than a by-product to the meat industry. British Wool are working hard to find new outlets for wool which is beginning to show early sign of increasing its value which will be welcomed by all farmers. I would encourage any farmer young or old to take up the opportunity of visiting a grading depot or scouring plant.”