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Young Judges Competition

Darkan Sheepfest proudly presents our Young Judges Competition, celebrating the enthusiasm, knowledge, and talent of emerging agricultural leaders.

Inspired by the traditions of the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia, this competition provides students with an exciting opportunity to develop practical judging skills in a supportive environment.

Participants will gain valuable industry exposure, build confidence, and connect with professionals passionate about nurturing the next generation. Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings.


Competition Categories:

• Merino Sheep Young Judges
• Meat Sheep Young Judges
• Merino Fleece Young Judges
• Grain Young Judges

Introducing in 2026
Zara Horley Memorial Trophy

Awarded to the winner of the Merino Sheep Young Judges competition.

This special trophy honours the memory of Zara Horley, who was a valued local young person. It celebrates the passion, dedication, and spirit of youth within agriculture.

Saturday 14 March 2026

Location: Darkan Sheepfest – adjacent to the Show Shearing and Wool Handling


10:00am Education sessions for each of the sections by industry leaders.

12:30pm Judging begins.

Presentations will take place at the end of the day at the Shearing and Wool Handling shed.

Darkan Sheepfest Young Judges Entry FormDownload

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Shearing and Wool Handling Online Entry Forms

Entries for the Darkan Sheepfest Shearing and Wool Handling competition are now open. Nominations will close at midnight on Sunday 8th March, and no late entries will be accepted.

There is an online entry form that should be completed by shearers and wool handlers wishing to compete at the 2026 Darkan Sheepfest.

CLICK HERE to complete online entry form and payment.

This year Darkan Sheepfest Shears and Wool Handling will be held in the Darkan Township on the corner of Fisher Street and Coalfields Highway, Darkan.

Nomination fee for Open, Senior, Intermediate is $50, Novice Entry fee is $20

Entry Fee for Wool Handling, Open and Senior is $50, Novice Entry Fee is $20

The competition will be run on Saturday 14 March, with registrations open at 8:00am. Heats to start at 8.30am sharp, and Novice division will compete first.

This is a clean shears event and will be run under the West Australian Competition Shearing Association rules (WACSA). This show will be included in the WACSA circuit.

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Sheepfest Is Back in 2026!

Our volunteers are ready to bring back Darkan Sheepfest as a full “Good Old-Fashioned Country Show” after a rest in 2025, when the shearing and wool-handling competitions were run as a stand-alone event.

With new volunteers on board and some of the old stalwarts taking a step back or bowing out altogether, there are new ideas simmering to add a new flavour to this well loved community event.

The date for Sheepfest in 2026 will be Saturday 14 March.

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2025 Sheepfest Shears and Woolhandling Competition

SHEARING AND WOOLHANDLING COMPETITION Saturday 8th February 2025 Registration closes 8:30am for a 9am start. Prior entry for this event is required so please get entries in early. Entry forms available on the Sheepfest website and in the comments below Please note only the shearing event is happening, no other events will be on the oval.

The Darkan Sheepfest Shearing and Woolhandling Competition is set to take place on Saturday, February 8th, 2025. With a 9am sharp start (beginning with Novices). Participants are reminded that registration closes at 8:30am, so be sure to get there early to secure your spot if you haven’t put an entry in. Entry for this event is by prior registration only, so it’s important to submit your entries as soon as possible to avoid missing out.


Please note that this year, only the shearing event will be featured—no other activities will be held on the oval (although food will be available) so it’s all about the woolhandling and shearing skills on display!

Entry forms are available in PDF format HERE, and you can use the jpeg image form below for easy access.

Contact Sarah Buscumb for further information on 0418 445 879

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Pet Sheep Competition

Photo of sheep parading in the Best pet Sheep competition at the Darkan SHeepfest 2023, judged by Heather Ewert of the ABC Backroads program.

🏆 BEST PET SHEEP COMPETITION 🏆

We are back again for Sheepfest 2024! Our supreme champion who had it all last year was Da KING raised by Racheal Quill. Who will take out the prize this year?

Event Categories are:
🐑 Best Name
🐑 Best Looking
🐑 Best Behaved 

Your pet could then be sashed ‘Supreme Pet Sheep Champion’. 

To enter, simply post a photo of your pet sheep, with your sheep’s name, age, and home town on our Facebookpost HERE.

Entries close on 1st February 2024. If you are a finalist we will be in touch then to invite you to our show. 

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The Next generation

The 2024 Act Belong Commit Darkan Sheepfest will focus on The Next Generation – reaching out to all Young Australians to ignite their passion for sheep and wool.

New this year will be The Livestock Collective’s Virtual Reality Experience. Come along and experience what it’s like on a live export ship through VR!

Australian Wool Innovation has a new Show Challenge, and Sheepfest has introduced a Toy Shearing Competition for kids. The WA Rural Ambassador and Wool Ambassador will be at Sheepfest to meet and greet, and there will be representatives to talk to about Wool in schools.

We will also have our regular events and activities including Australiana Wool & Natural Fibre Fashion Show, Sport Shear Competition, Wool Handling Competition, Best Pet Sheep, Young Farmer Challenge, Ewe Hogget Competition, Farm Boot Foot Race, Free Kids’ Entertainment, Junior Merino Judging, Market Stalls, Log Chopping, Hillman Farm Skydivers Sunset Dive, Live Band & Baa!

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Farm Weekly Feature

We love the work of the Farm Weekly and love that they love Sheepfest!

Wool will be a focus of the 2023 Act Belong Commit Darkan Sheepfest, starting with the shearing and wool handling competitions, the merino ewe hogget competition, blade shearing demo, and pet sheep competition; and there will be woollen clothing on display at the fashion parades.

Guest speaker Emily Riggs, of fashion label Iris and Wool, will give an insight into the benefits of wearing wool, and will showcase a couple of the Iris and Wool outfits.

The Farm Weekly is a valued sponsor of Darkan Sheepfest

a Farm Weekly magazine open at a double page with an article on the left page with a photo of Emily Rigs and a ram, and on the right page an invitation to SHeepfest with info and a thank you to sponsors.
Double page spread in the Farm Weekly
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Young Volunteers Get the Job Done

Young volunteers with stencilled wool bales at the Darkan town entry statement

We couldn’t be prouder of some of our younger Act Belong Commit Darkan Sheepfest ‘Wool Work Force’ who have been hard at work over the weekend.

The biggest colouring in they’ve ever done in a day and the itchiest they have ever been!

The filling of our roadside wool bales (albeit with harvest chaff!) is the signal that the show countdown has begun! Thanks to the lovely local farmer who was happy to help out again!

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Darkan Sheepfest 2022

two young women browsing a market stall selling pot plants at Darkan Sheepfest

Please join us on Saturday 12 February 2022


Darkan is located 200km south of Perth, in the Shire of West Arthur, within the Wheatbelt region of WA.

At the Darkan Sheepfest visitors and locals spend the whole day wandering around the show, dividing their time between children’s free entertainment and rides, the sport shear merino sheep shearing competition, sheep dog mustering, wool fashion parades and the many market stalls.

Bringing city to country and promoting the sheep and wool industry, is the main aim of the Darkan Sheepfest. It’s a fabulous day out, and a good old country show! At what other event can kids run around together and be safe and happy all day?

What makes Darkan Sheepfest unique is that entry is only a gold coin donation!
Better still, you may even fall in love with the town and our friendly locals enough, to move here!

Yours sincerely,
The Darkan Sheepfest Crew