Making The Grade With Newly Qualified Ulster Wool Grader Adam Noble

Training the next generation of wool graders is vital to Ulster Wool as a business so we can continue to provide our members with a high level of service.  Graze caught up with newly qualified grader Adam Noble

Tell us about yourself

I’m 29 years old, married to Tori and have a young son called Peter who is 2

What livestock do you keep? How many? Which breeds and why?

I run a flock of pedigree registered Dorset’s, there’s a flock of 20 which I’ve been building up now for over 10 years. I always liked the confirmation of the breed as the lambs always kill out well and noticed they seemed to always get a good price fat, but the breeding stock of ewe and ram lambs also generated a really good return per head.  The versatility of the breed helps when they can lamb nearly any time of the year which helps when you work full time.

When did you qualify as a grader and how long have you worked at Ulster Wool?

I started working at the depot back in 2019 and went straight in as a trainee grader.  I completed my final assessment last summer and have been a fully qualified grader from then.

What does the job entail?

It’s difficult to get table time as there are two graders and only 2 grading tables.  I mostly work alongside Stevie, Joint Depot Manager and we share the table when the clips are good.  A lot of my time is utilised elsewhere, hoisting wool for Stevie, packing the wool and helping with intake. We all work well together as a team. I’m also the depot Health & Safety Champion which I take very seriously - you can never be too careful as you never know what can happen in a split second and the experience of the role will help further in my career.

What do you enjoy about the job? How many farms bring wool to Ulster Wool?

I love working in a place where everyone gets along, we mostly all have sheep at home, so we talk a lot about what I’m passionate about and interested in which also makes it good when talking to farmers as we have something in common. I also go and lift wool from collection sites, some of which are farms, so I always see their set ups and share advice.

How many tonnes can you grade in a day?

I can grade just over 3,500kg in a good day if the clips are half rolled and presented in fairly good order.

Tell me about a typical day at the depot?

I’ll start up in the office helping Stevie if there’s any lots that have been completed ready for sale and help to file the paperwork.  I’ll then I’ll catch up on Health & Safety admin. Once all that’s done it’s down to the grading table and that’s where I spend most of my day either hoisting or grading.

What else does Ulster Wool do apart from grading wool?

We get the wool prepared for auction in the best possible way so we can attain the best price for our farmers.  We are also involved in promoting the unique characteristics of wool as an environmentally friendly fibre with consumers and driving new demand for the wool produced in Northern Ireland.