1st EWA Online-Workshop
Announcement: 1st EWA Online Workshop
We are thrilled to announce the 1st EWA Online Workshop, focusing on the highly relevant and inspiring topic of "Sheep Fleece Competition"!
Event Details:
Date: Friday, 24th January 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM CET
Location: Online (registration required)
Agenda:
6:00 PM – 6:15 PM: Welcome and Introduction by Satu Kumpulainen and Roger Bush, EWA Board Members and moderators of the event
6:15 PM – 6:35 PM: Presentation by Ian Brooksbank, British Wool Board
Ian Brooksbank, Senior Head Grader and Depot Manager at British Wool's Bradford facility, brings over three decades of expertise in wool grading and management. Starting his career with British Wool in 1990 at the age of 16, Ian has devoted his professional life to the wool industry, proudly continuing a family tradition inspired by his grandfather. With his extensive experience and unwavering commitment to quality, Ian has become a highly respected authority in the field. He has a deep understanding of the wool industry and has worked with many sheep breeders and farmers across Europe to improve the quality of their wool. We are honoured to have Ian share his insights and knowledge with us during his presentation at our upcoming event. We look forward to having Ian share and exchange his huge knowledge and experience with us, and to learning from his expertise in the wool industry.
15-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A session
6:35 PM – 6:55 PM: Presentation by Kia Gabrielsson Beer, Sweden
Kia Gabrielsson Beer is the initiator and organiser of the Swedish Championship in sheep fleece at Fårfesten in Kil, Sweden. Her efforts have significantly contributed to promoting high-quality fleece and supporting Swedish sheep farmers. She is a wool classer with 45 years of experience of wool grading, sheep farming, teaching, shearing and wool craft and industries from Sweden, Norway and New Zealand.
15-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A session
6:55 PM – 7:15 PM: Presentation by Jennifer Nimmrichter, The Sheepwalk Ranch, Texas, US
Jennifer Nimmrichter is the founder of The Sheepwalk Ranch, home to Suzoo's Wool Works and The Sheepwalk Fiber Mill, located in the Texas Hill Country. With over 14 years of experience as an indie dyer and fiber artist, Jennifer has dedicated the past decade to deepening her knowledge of fiber breeds and fiber arts, including processing in the fiber mill. Her commitment to the fiber arts community is evident through her organization of events like Texas Wool Week, a celebration of Texas wool, mohair, and alpaca, featuring immersive farm experiences, fiber arts vendors, and educational demonstrations.
15-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A session
7:15 PM – 7:45 PM: Open Floor for Discussions
An opportunity for participants to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss strategies for fostering collaboration and innovation, creating guidelines for common fleece competitions, exchanging knowledge, and advancing this important topic.
7:45 PM – 8:00 PM: Closing and Summary
A brief look back at the key takeaways from the workshop.
Registration Details:
Registration is required to participate in this event. Please click on the link below to register:
https://forms.gle/rUkGKy7LGKUUzpQp8
Only registered participants can join the workshop. The Zoom link for the workshop will be sent to registered participants one day before the event.
A Special Highlight:
As a highlight of 2025, EWA will organise a European Sheep Fleece Competition in August. We hope that everyone joining this workshop will contribute to making this special event a success by submitting sheep fleeces from across Europe.
Join Us:
We look forward to your participation and support in making this inaugural workshop a success!
Warm regards,
Satu Kumpulainen and Roger Bush Board Members European Wool Association AISBL
