North Canterbury News: May 11, 2023
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RURAL LIFE<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>May</strong> <strong>11</strong>, <strong>2023</strong><br />
19<br />
Young enthusiast reigns supreme<br />
By JOHN COSGROVE<br />
Sheisonlyeleven <strong>11</strong>yearsold<br />
andisalready winningsheep<br />
breedingcompetitions.<br />
In only hersecond yearasa<br />
registeredbreederof<br />
Corriedales,AliceHobanof<br />
Waipara scooped the pool at<br />
Easter’s MackenzieA&P<br />
Show.<br />
Alice’s ewewon Supreme<br />
ChampionCorriedale, as well<br />
as Supreme Champion sheep<br />
in the youth classes.<br />
On Easter Monday,the<br />
Mackenzie A&PShowheld a<br />
Royal sheep event which<br />
attractedmorethan 500<br />
entries.<br />
As thecountry’s youngest<br />
Corriedale breeder,Alicesays<br />
shewas nervous as she held<br />
herewe in the judging ringfor<br />
thefirsttime, as it was also her<br />
firsttime exhibiting sheep<br />
under her name.<br />
Theyouthclasses werea<br />
newinitiative fromthe<br />
Mackenzie A&P Association to<br />
encouragebreedersunder 25<br />
years of age.<br />
They werewell supported<br />
with 10 entries in all three<br />
classes.<br />
Alice wasthe only<br />
Corriedale breeder who<br />
enteredthe youth<br />
competition,and wasup<br />
against Suffolk, Texel and<br />
South Suffolk breeders.<br />
TheNew Zealand<br />
Sheepbreeders Association<br />
has, in recentyears,madeit<br />
easierfor youngbreeders to<br />
getstarted withtheir flocks, by<br />
waiving flock fees.<br />
Alice’s10ewes are located<br />
at her Glenafric Corriedale<br />
stud.<br />
Her sheep runwithher<br />
family’s studSouth Suffolk<br />
and Corriedale flockson<br />
Glenafric,acoastal hill<br />
country farmnear Waipara.<br />
Her father JamesHoban,<br />
saysAliceiscontinuing a<br />
family tradition in breeding<br />
Corriedales, whichwas<br />
startedbyher greatgreatgrandparents<br />
in the1920s.<br />
InitiallyAlice hadtochoose<br />
her first fiveewes from a<br />
group of 20.<br />
She was giventime to lookat<br />
the ewesand investigate their<br />
pedigree. ‘‘While we made<br />
sureshe only had good ewes to<br />
choosefrom,she shockedus<br />
whenshe picked the top<br />
ones,’’ James says.<br />
Alice says she wanted her<br />
own sheepbecause she saw<br />
her dadworkingwith sheep,<br />
and it looked likealot of fun.<br />
‘‘I wanted to try it as I<br />
enjoyed shiftingthemand<br />
checking thematlambing.<br />
She selected Corriedales<br />
becausethey have good wool.<br />
‘‘I likeworkingwith wool.<br />
‘‘Dad has taught me alot<br />
about Corriedales andthey<br />
alsolook so cool.’’<br />
She saysattending A&P<br />
shows is alot of fun too.<br />
James saysAlicehas<br />
created acalendar of sheep<br />
work, planning outeverything<br />
she needs to do. ‘‘It'snot<br />
unusual for hertooffer to stay<br />
homefromschooltohelp with<br />
important jobs likescanning<br />
and weaning.’’<br />
Top competitor ... Young Corriedale breeder Alice Hoban aged<br />
<strong>11</strong>, of Waipara, scooped the pool at the recent Mackenzie A&P Show<br />
with her ewes.<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
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