THREE of nation’s top young wool marketers have been selected as finalists in the 2019 National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia Wool Broker Award.

The finalists are Elders’ Melbourne-based Samantha Wan, Australian Wool Network’s Russell Macgugan and Western Australian broker, Landmark south west wool agent Matthew Chambers.

The winner of the 2019 award will win an all-expenses paid trip to attend the 2020 Congress of the International Wool Textile Organisation in Tongxiang, China in May 2020. Arrangements will also be made for the 2020 award winner to visit the wool textile industry in China.

NCWSBA executive director Chris Wilcox said the winner will be announced at the AWIS Wool Week dinner in the evening of Thursday, 22 August.

“For the first time, the other finalists will be presented with a suit length of wool fabric from the leading wool weaving company Reda in Italy in recognition of their achievement in being Finalists for this prestigious award.”

Mr Wilcox said there was an excellent response to the call for applications this year and the independent selection panel had its work cut out whittling the list down to the three finalists.

“The three finalists have a variety of roles within the Australian wool broking industry and have worked in the industry for between six and nine years.”

Mr Wilcox said the award was in its eighth successful year and recognised excellence in service to wool growers, auctioneering and/or innovation by an outstanding wool broker employee who is working for a NCWSBA member and has been in the wool broking industry for 10 years or less.

The award this year is sponsored by AWTA Ltd and Sheep Central.

The three finalists will each make a presentation in support of their applications at the 2019 NCWSBA annual general meeting and forum on Thursday, 22 nd August at the RACV Club, Melbourne.

In addition to the business of the AGM and the presentations by the three finalists, the 2018 NCWSBA Broker Award winner Candice Cordy will give a presentation on her experience attending the IWTO Congress in Venice earlier this year and the visits she did to various mills in northern Italy.