FLEECE ENVY: Guyra woolgrower Bill Mitchell would be happy to grow more wool on the SCG turf he has growing on his property, Woodford. Photos: MJ Bale
FROM Guyra to Italy, Bill Mitchell’s wool will soon be clothing the backs of the Australian cricket team.
Through the Grazed on Greatness initiative, Mr Mitchell was the only woolgrower chosen to have turf from the Sydney Cricket Ground transplanted to a paddock on his property, which a select group of sheep grazed on.
The special sheep, who are hopefully cricket lovers, were shorn in September with Mr Mitchell getting nine bales from them – to the envy of the other sheep whose wool may not be destined for such greatness.
Through New England Wool, the bales have been sent to Italy for MJ Bale to make into suits for the Australian cricketers.
The Guyra woolgrower from the property Woodford said he wasn’t sure how many suits they would get from the nine bales, but it would be the wool that would clothe the cricketers for the coming season.
There will also be some limited edition Grazed on Greatness suits available for purchase.
Susie Thompson from MJ Bale said the suits would be ready for February.
As well as being good for Guyra, the Australian cricket team and Mr Mitchell, the Grazed on Greatness program won five awards at the 59th Cannes Lions, the international advertising industry’s equivalent of the Academy Awards.
The campaign won the Gold PR Lion: Consumer Goods, Gold PR Lion: Best use of sponsorship, Silver PR Lion: Best integrated campaign led by PR, Silver Direct Lion: Other Consumer Products and the Bronze Direct Lion: Best integrated campaign led by Direct Mail.
Mr Mitchell said he didn’t yet know whether he would be part of the program again next season, but he would be interested if approached.
“It was good being part of the program,” he said.
“We arranged the delivery of the wool through New England Wool who will ship it over to Italy so it’s all been very easy.”
The SCG turf has suffered, like other grass in the region, from the dry conditions, but Mr Mitchell said it would recover and return.
