Northholm Grammar School has been heavily involved with the Sydney Royal Easter Show for over 15 years! This year, students entered birds, poultry, and chickens into the school and open classes.
16 year nine and ten students also entered into the poultry showmanship Competition. During this, students are judged on their handling abilities – unpinning and inspecting the bird, presenting it to the judge and pinning it back again. They then compete in a viva voce, being asked questions about their specific breed they have prepared and presented at the show. Students also publicly present the bird to the crowd in the poultry pavilion!
Ian Fawbert, head of agriculture at Northholm, explains that a lot of work goes on behind the scenes. The students have been getting their hands dirty from the first day of term, selecting chickens based on breed standards and modifying their diet to bring out the animal’s best features. They were constantly practicing their handling and presentation of the chickens at school, as well as being heavily involved in grooming the animals.
Ian expresses the importance of introducing students to agricultural animals and developing a love for them. In the long run, this promotes an appreciation for what’s involved in the production of food, that supports our community in a sustainable and compassionate way. Ian says, ‘It just brings out the best in these students, to not only develop their skills in handling and understanding the bird that they are in charge of, but also to understand the role that they can play, and also poultry play, in the Australian agricultural industry.’
