British Wool has declared Imogen Ogborne from Devon the winner of new Training & Development program. Member of Lewdown Young Farmers Club, Imogen, began her involvement in wool handling in October 2019 when she secured a job with a contractor in New Zealand. Ever since, Imogen has been passionate about shearing and wool handling and now seeks to improve her skills.

Launched earlier this year, the new British Wool Shearing Training & Development Program offers one winner from each UK nation the opportunity of winning 12 months of training as well as a Lister Shearing prize package worth £500.

At the beginning of the 12 month program, the training will include attending a British Wool machine shearing course, followed by a gear course, a wool handling course and completing the program with a second machine shearing course. The development aspect would give Imogen the opportunity to get advice from experienced British Wool shearing instructors and also, depending on availability and shearing ability, the opportunity to gain on farm experience working with a shearing contractor. During the 12 months program, the four UK winners will also visit British Wool’s head office and wool grading depot in Yorkshire as well as a scouring plant, to follow the wool supply chain process.