Henty Machine of the Year to help shearers

A farmer from The Rock in southern NSW has taken the top honours in Henty’s machine of the year award.

The livestock sector took centre stage at Henty Machinery Field Days on day one after an innovative catching pen won one of the event’s most coveted awards.

Southern NSW farmer Simon Flinn of Flinn Designs at The Rock impressed the team of five judges to win Machine of the Year with his Ram-to-Ewe ergonomically designed and automated pen that is set to create efficiency in shearing sheds.

Mr Flinn said it was early days for the concept, but the catching pen had already received farmer uptake, and a Tasmanian shearing shed had placed the first order.

He said the design aimed to generate better posture and helped to accommodate the needs of both fast and slower shearers in terms of flow.

Bob Thornely of Flinn Designs is a former shearer and had input into the design too. He said the concept would be welcomed by shearers and the wider industry.

One of the judges, Warren Scheetz, said the Ram-to-Ewe also enhanced operator safety.

“The design of the automated system works by the back fence moving progressively forward, reducing the pen size as it empties out of sheep,” he said.

Mr Scheetz said this reduced the need to drag animals from a distance (in the pen) to the shearer.

Bob Thornely and Simon Flinn of Flinn Designs at The Rock in southern NSW win the Henty Machinery Field Days Machine of the Year award with their ergonomically designed automated catching pen. Picture: Nikki Reynolds

Day one of Henty provided fine weather for the large crowds as they flooded through the gates with organisers tipping overall numbers by the end of Thursday to hit 60,000.

However, there were concerns about the seasonal conditions and two consecutive frosts in the region.

Aaron Giason of Baker Seeds at Rutherglen said the crop trials at Henty had been hit by two frosts: a more severe one on Monday, and another on Tuesday for the first day of the field days.

He said any damage would be likely to show up in 10 days or so.

Mr Giason said the dry seasonal conditions and the frost conditions were a talking point.

However, he said there was still hope for some follow-up rain to finish the current winter crop.

Aaron Giason of Baker Seeds, Rutherglen, Victoria is pictured with a crop of BOA wheat in the crop trials at the Henty Machinery Field Days. Picture: Nikki Reynolds

The vintage machinery display was popular, and a 1925 Sunshine auto header was on display. The machine is owned by Kerry Peach of Pleasant Hills in southern NSW and showed the contrast between some of the modern offerings at the site.

Andrew Newton of Walbundrie, NSW, is pictured with a Sunshine Header from 1925 that is owned by Kerry Peach of Pleasant Hills, NSW. Picture: Nikki Reynolds