Pip Hacker follows brother Will's footsteps as state Merino young judge

It was natural that she would gravitate to the industry that has been so much a part of her life and watch on as sheep were being brought forward for judging.

More surprising though was that after spending much of her time in recent years in university lectures learning current education practices, she would put her hand up for the state finals of the Queensland Ag Shows junior judging events, the first time she had entered the competitions.

But no-one was more surprised than Ms Hacker when at the end of the day she was announced as the winner of both the Merino fleece and Merino sheep competitions.

"About five minutes before the sheep judging I got a quick refresher from Will about what I should be doing," she said.

Her brother Will Hacker was spending the day as the associate judge in the Merino ring at the State Sheep Show, having won the young judges state final in 2019.

He told her that whatever she did for one sheep she should do for all of them, and to walk right round the sheep assessing them from all angles.

"I was very nervous," she said.

"Judging the sheep was harder, there was a lot more pressure with the audience watching, and it felt like something I should know because I've been part of the Merino industry all my life.

"I guess this shows I obviously do know a bit about it."

Ms Hacker is now eligible for the national finals of both competitions, being run at the Sydney Royal Show next year, and she says she'll be doing a lot of practice before that rolls around.

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