A sheep-shearing school is set for Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 5 and 6, 2007, at South Dakota State University.

SDSU Extension sheep specialist Jeff Held will be one of the instructors leading the professional course on shearing, according to a news release. Curt Olson of Montana and Murl Patrick of South Dakota also will instruct participants in several one-on-one sessions, plus group work.

The school costs $125 per person and includes tuition, a handbook and a video of the course. Materials developed by the American Wool Council-Sheep Shearing Task Force will be used in the training. There is room for only 10 students in the course, with no experience requirement.

Topics covered include professional shearing pattern, equipment maintenance and repair, and wool handling and preparation.

The deadline to register is Friday, Nov. 30. A registration form is available online. Participants also may register by sending name, address, work and home phone numbers, with payment, to South Dakota Sheep Shearing Program, Box 2170, Brookings, SD, 57007.

For more information, call Held at 688-5433, or e-mail him at Jeffrey.Held@sdstate.edu, for more information.

The South Dakota Sheep Growers Association's Wool Committee and the American Wool Council are sponsoring the school with cooperation from the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service.