Tim Shepherd is a District Wool Manager based in the Mid North of South Australia, who is passionate about the wool industry and the sustainable future it offers.
Raised on a sixth-generation mixed farming property, Tim’s love of agriculture sprouted from his work alongside his parents in broadacre farming and fat lamb production.
It wasn’t until after high school that Tim realised his deep passion for wool production, joining Nyowee Poll Merino Stud as a farmhand.
“I was lucky to work alongside the Michael family, who ran the business with a deep understanding of wool production,” Tim said.
“They really taught me the ropes and gave me valuable exposure to working with clients.”
After some time working as a lamb marking contractor, Tim made the move to the United States in 2016 and spent a year working on a sheep and cattle ranch in Wyoming.
In 2022, after returning home, Tim felt ready for a new challenge, and took up a role with Elders as a district wool manager covering the Mid North and Yorke Peninsula.
“It was one of those opportunities I just knew I had to grab,” Tim said.
“I shadowed the outgoing district wool manager for six months, which was extremely beneficial not only for me to see how he operated with his clients, but to give his clients the opportunity to meet me and make the transition as smooth as possible.”.
Tim quickly found his footing, benefitting from the strong support of the Elders network, including at branch level and from the national wool team based in Melbourne.
“I am surrounded by pretty passionate people, who made me feel extremely welcome and solidified my desire to make a long-term career out of this.”
Day to day, Tim services a diverse geographic area, including clients on the Yorke Peninsula and in the Mid North with mixed cropping and livestock enterprises.
“A lot of my clients are dominated by their broadacre programs, so they aren’t in a rush to sell wool, giving us the space, time and flexibility to explore different ways of getting them the best possible prices,” he said.
“I work closely with each client to understand their unique needs and help them make the best decisions in the long term, to improve their clip and flock performance.”
Tim also supports his clients with their ram stock and classing needs, representing them at auction.
“I still do a bit of sheep classing from time-to-time and am looking at developing my skills in classing young ewes in the future.”
Elders’ investment in wool, through the establishment of the Elders Wool arm, and the company’s focus of sustainability is something Tim is proud to be involved with.
“Elders’ investment in sustainable practices and technology shows that Elders is forward-thinking, and for me, that was a huge drawcard in making the decision to join the team,” he said.
“Elders Wool has not only revolutionised operations through that technology but also enabled an end-to-end service. I am now able to guide clients through the entire wool production cycle and selling process, from start to finish. It is fantastic being able to provide hands-on support throughout the entire process, from pre-shearing to receiving a positive result at auction.
“What is particularly rewarding is knowing that the advice we provide leads to tangible outcomes for clients, like seeing them feel more confident in their breeding and increasing their flock size, or even investing in their business and building a new shearing shed.
“It really shows that they are in it for the long run, and we can be right there with them.”
