Coles Trailblazers Competition

ARE EWE A TRAILBLAZER?

Got an idea that could make the sheep, lamb and wool industry better, smarter, more sustainable, or easier to work in?

LambEx26 Coles Trailblazers is your chance to amplify your idea to the global sheep industry.

COLES TRAILBLAZERS - ENTRIES NOW OPEN -

The LambEx Coles Trailblazers Competition recognises and encourages young and upcoming industry professionals, producers, scientists & students to consider a future or ongoing career in the Australian sheep industry.

The competition provides an opportunity for these ‘Trailblazers’ to showcase how their ideas, skills and innovation can make a meaningful difference across the sheep Industry. Successful finalists will gain exposure at LambEx26, while developing their capabilities through professional development opportunities and networking with industry leaders.

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Competition Overview

Trans-Tasman ‘Trailblazers’ of the sheep industry are invited to pitch a new idea, technology, opportunity or innovation that will make a difference and improve the sustainability of the sheep, lamb and wool industry.

Ideas can cover any aspect big or small of the sheep supply chain, including on-farm, off-farm (transport, processing, retail, export, etc.), or the social and cultural perceptions of the sheep industry.

Applicants will progress through a multi-stage competition process as follows:

Submission of an application
A shortlist of semi-finalists will be selected from submissions
Three finalists chosen to present their ideas live on the LambEx Main Stage.
Winners announced at the LambEx Grandslamb Gala Dinner.

Key Dates

ENTRIES OPEN

18 February 2026

ENTRIES CLOSE

22 March 2026

11.59pm (ACST)

SEMIFINALISTS ANNOUNCED

by 30 April 2026

ZOOM PRACTICE SESSION

26 May 2026

5.30pm (ACST)

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DAY

(Adelaide)

2 June 2026

9am–4pm

LAMBEX26

(Adelaide)

7–9 July 2026

Who should apply?

To be eligible to enter the Competition, entrants must:

Be an Australian/New Zealand citizen, permanent resident, or valid visa holder.
Be aged: 18 - 35 as at 1 June 2026. (Exceptional candidates outside of this age range will be considered at the discretion of the LambEx Trailblazers Selection Committee)

Applicants aged under 18 at the time of application must have parent or guardian permission to apply [for those who turn 18 between applications opening and 1st June 2026] please contact trailblazers@lambex.org.au to provide such permission.
Have not been a previous LambEx Trailblazer or Young Gun overall award winner (first prize recipient in the overall or senior age category). Previous junior age category winners are welcome to apply again.
Where applicable, pitches for products, technologies etc must be pre-commercialisation (determined at the sole discretion of the LambEx Trailblazers Selection Committee)
Be involved in, studying, or intending to pursue a career in the sheep industry (including but not limited to production, science, supply chain, innovation, marketing or extension.)

Why enter

This is your opportunity to amplify your idea, and springboard your career. Trailblazers gives you:

a real platform (including the LambEx main stage for finalists)
professional speaking and presentation training
connections with producers, researchers, processors and leaders who can help shape your next steps
exposure at LambEx26 and across LambEx channels
prize money intended to support your career progression and professional development in the sheep industry

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Download T&C's

Submission requirements

Application must include:

Short bio (max 150 words)
A one-page written pitch (PDF or Word) covering: what it is, why it’s needed, who benefits, impact, and how it could be implemented
Innovation & impact summary (max 150 words)
Practicality & implementation summary (max 150 words)
30-second "elevator pitch" video (clarity and delivery matter, not production quality)
Portrait photo (for media/promotions)
Optional supporting docs (CV, diagrams, references, etc.)

What kind of ideas are we looking for?

Anything that improves the industry.

Big or small. On-farm, off-farm, or public-facing.

Your idea could relate to:

genetics, breeding, animal health and welfare
pasture, feed efficiency, finishing systems
labour, training, workplace safety
data, traceability, compliance, productivity tools
processing, logistics, chilled chain, export
wool, shearing, product development
social licence, consumer perception, communication
(And yes, it can be a tool, program, research idea, partnership model, new process, extension concept or tech solution.)

If you’ve spotted a problem, a bottleneck, or a missed opportunity in the sheep industry and you’ve got a credible way to tackle it, that’s a Trailblazers pitch.

Struggling for ideas?

The industry has submitted a few ideas they'd like to be solved. You can choose one of these or adapt the concept to you own.

Checkout ideas

Judging Assessment

Your LambEx Coles Trailblazer Application will be judged and assessed by the Selection Committee based on the following criteria:

Content (33.3%)
- Merit of your idea: Is the idea innovative and have the potential to meaningfully impact the sheep industry.
- Does the idea address the problem in an appropriate way?
- Expected outcomes and impact
- Feasibility/realistically achievable
Communication (33.3%)
- Written communication: Your ability to clearly and concisely communicate your idea for the sheep industry including use of evidence and examples.
- Presentation Skills: Skill at presenting your elevator pitch (video). Videos to be scored upon verbal content, delivery and presentation NOT editing skills or production values.
Character & Commitment (33%)
- Passion and commitment to the sheep industry.
- Future goals and aspirations
- Growth and leadership potential

Entries will be assessed by a Selection Committee appointed by the LambEx Taskforce.

Applications will be reviewed and a follow up phone or zoom interview may occur at the discretion of the organisers
A maximum of 8 semi-finalists will be selected, with successful applicants notified by 30 April 2026.

Competition Prizes

Up to eight (8) Semi-finalists will receive:

Complimentary Full Delegate Registration to LambEx26 including the Welcome Function and Elders Grandslamb Gala Dinner
Complimentary Professional Development package including a session prior to the LambEx26 Conference, and further development and networking opportunities at the conference.
Contribution bursary (up to $600 for SA, $1,000 for non-SA) for Travel and Accommodation
LambEx Coles Trailblazer Merchandise

The organisers will not be responsible for any loss of income, wages, leave, or study time incurred as a result of participation in the Competition.

Finalist prizes:

Finalists will compete for the following cash prizes:

LambEx Coles Trailblazer Winner: $3,000
LambEx Coles Trailblazer Junior Achiever Award (<24 years old): $1,000
LambEx Coles Trailblazing Concept Award: $500

Prize money is intended to support career progression/professional development, and winners provide a short written note outlining intended use before payment.

Submitted ideas

I’d like to see commercial producers able to link ewes to lambs through eID tags. Much like AWI we’re trying to do through the “smart tag”.

There’s research everywhere — why does none of it reach farm gates? How do we improve adoption of new ideas and technology?

Can someone investigate low-cost feed alternatives when grain prices explode?

Methane targets are coming — Can a tool be developed that actually works on-farm?

I'd like to see a breeding plan for resilience, not just kilograms?

There's a big mental load on family farms. Does someone have an example of how they have managed good mental health across their farm team?

Can someone develop a seamless link between farm software, abattoirs, and feedback?

How can we simplify and centralise farm compliance and audit requirements across state, national, commodity and processor programs to reduce duplication, save time and lower stress for producers?

How can we transform low-value crossbred wool into profitable, scalable products or markets so that its income consistently exceeds the cost of shearing and restores value to producers?

There's so much data that can be collected using eID - where do i start? what will give me the best bang for buck?

How can we brand Australian lamb by region, like wine?

Feedlots are often viewed negatively by the public. How do we fix this perception?

Market acceptance of shedding sheep. Shedding lambs to be accepted by the big supermarket markets - lets face it the meat off some shedding breeds is far better eating than your everyday cross bred lamb!

Making sheep work less labour intensive. Easier to use applicators, ways to treat animals without physically interacting with them, ways to remove the need for treating animals altogether.

Can we harness AI to analyse micro-behaviours and physiological signals in livestock to objectively measure wellbeing including indicators of ‘happiness’ and detect health or welfare issues earlier?

Can we use machine learning and individual eID weight data to accurately predict body condition score in sheep (accounting for factors such as pregnancy status, stage of gestation, wool growth and seasonal variation) to reduce manual handling and improve decision-making on farm?

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