IT WAS a sale that set in stone all that is good about country life.
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Yanco Agricultural High School recently held its annual Performance White Suffolk Ram Sale, with one of the highlights being the sale of a charity ram.
The ram was sold for $850, with all proceeds going to the Black Dog Institute.
The charity was selected after former YAHS staff member Bruce Hammond’s son Andrew took part in a grueling bike ride from Perth to Broome, which also raised funds for the institute.
The ram was even dressed in some of Mr Hammond’s former ride jersey’s to promote its sale.
This year marked the second time the sale has been held.
It was conducted by the year 10 animal management students through a helmsman auction system.
Yanco Agricultural High School agriculture/equine teacher Ellie Quinn was proud of the students efforts both on the day and in the lead up to the event.
There were 34 rams on offer on the day and each of them were sold.
Mrs Quinn said the top price paid on the day was $1800.
“The average price on the day was $938, which is great,” she said.
“We were excited to have a 100 per cent clearance rate on the day as well.
“All of the rams are bred right here at the school.
“The students are involved with the process the whole way up to the sale.”
On the day of the sale the students are also heavily involved, taking the silent bids, working out the logistics, talking to prospective buyers and more.
Mrs Quinn was impressed with the students dedicated and enthusiasm right from the beginning to the end of the project.
“There’s a lot of different skills involved … a lot of numeracy, communication, team work and more,” she said.
“It’s a great program we have running here at the school and the students really embrace it. They take a lot of ownership over it.”
The charity ram added a special element to the sale and students have learned about the organisation both in the lead up to the event, as well as others in the past that have raised funds for the institute.
The Black Dog Institute was founded in 2002 and is internationally recognised as a pioneer in the identification, prevention and treatment of mental illness, and the promotion of wellbeing.
It aims to improve the lives of people affected by mental illness through the rapid translation of high quality research into improved clinical treatments, increased accessibility to mental health services and delivery of long-term public health solutions.
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