Fun for all at college open day

There was plenty to see at the recent open day at the WA College of Agriculture, Morawa where Mother Nature put on her very best with a perfect spring day.

Family and friends were impressed with the displays and demonstrations of students' work and skills.

The day also gave them the opportunity to see the college's facilities, including the two new 16-bed dormitories and six-room medical centre/office building.

Visitors were treated to automotive and engineering project displays and machinery and stock handling skills by students, as well as their academic achievements.

Guests from Morawa Lodge were thrilled with the animals on display, and many got to hold piglets and pat lambs. The baby animal display was a big hit with the kids.

Bus tours of the college farm incorporated visits to the piggery, the cattle yards and the motorbike track, as well as the different varieties of wheat, oat, canola and medic grown on-site, which all put on a spectacular display because of the good seasonal rains the area has received.

The shearing demonstrations also proved to be popular and students showed off their wool handling skills.

This year's fencing competition included a Year 10 team for the first time.

Teams of five competed to construct a 60 metre three-line fence. Fencing techniques included using two types of strainers, a figure-eight knot and gripples. Time, accuracy, tension, safety, knots and tidiness were assessed to determine the winning fence, which was again judged by past college students.

The Year 12 team were victorious, and will be competing in the farm skills fencing competition at the Perth Royal Show in September.

One of the highlights of the day was the farm olympics competition.

Teams of four pitted their talents and skills against one another in events such as wool bale rolling, wheelbarrow racing, wool pack jumping and rubber boot throwing.