THE region's best spring lambs will be on display at the 12th annual Tamworth Spring Lamb Show.
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Despite COVID-19 restrictions impacting operations at the Tamworth saleyards, this year's event on September 7, will honour late Tamworth Livestock Selling Agents Association (TLSAA) auctioneer, Jason Goodwin, who died from a heart attack in 2008, aged 36.
Ever since Mr Goodwin's passing, TLSAA has hosted the competition on the first Monday in spring and has awarded a shield in memory of their "great mate".
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TLSAA chairman Jon Goudge said the annual event has grown in size, reputation and the region's recent wet weather had set the scene for a fantastic sale.
"This lamb show has an excellent reputation," Mr Goudge said.
"Australia's major processors consistently say that the line-up is as good as anywhere on the Eastern seaboard of Australia and we're expecting some outstanding lambs again this year."
This year's competition will also be expanded to include a new category for Dorper-exotics reflecting the growing interest in "non-traditional" breeds.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is predicting the region's stellar season will continue over the coming months.
In the BOM's spring outlook, the region is expected to enjoy above average rainfall during the spring months and August was the first wetter-than-average August in four years.
BOM climate operations manager Dr Andrew Watkins said the outlook was being largely driven by changes in sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific and Indian oceans.
"Most long-range forecasts analysed by the bureau, including from our own climate model, are indicating a La Nina could develop in the spring, which typically results in above-average winter-spring rainfall for Australia," Dr Watkins said.
"A La Nia also typically brings cooler and cloudier days, more tropical cyclones, and an earlier onset of the first rains of the northern wet season.
"At this time of year, we start to see some of our main climate drivers locking in, which gives more certainty about what our weather patterns will be like in the coming months."
To enter the competition, producers should contact their preferred agent and enter a minimum of 10 lambs in a pen, in three different weight categories - export weight (50+kg), medium trade weight (45-49.5kg), and light trade weight (40-44.5kg) - or the new open weight Dorper-exotic category.
Vendors can also donate proceeds from the sale of their lambs to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
