The strong woolgrower candidates will challenge the five board members up for re-election in November, including the chairman, Brian van Rooyen, but former high-profile Woolmark boss Brenda McGahan has ruled herself out of the race.

Haddon Rig stud principal George Falkiner added his name to the list this week, alongside Australian Stud Merino Breeders president Will Roberts and West Australian woolgrower David Webster.

Mr Falkiner said he had been approached to stand by AWI members, including current board directors.

"It’s time to close the debate on mulesing and move forward on creating demand for wool," said Mr Falkiner. Most importantly he said that meant not compromising animal welfare, which at Haddon Rig translated to mulesing with pain relief before phasing mulesing out as genetic and other alternatives became viable.

"We need to end board division and bring a team approach to marketing and research."

Australian Stud Merino breeders president Will Roberts said he was keen to improve woolgrower returns, "because I am one and without us there is no AWI".

"Growers need a voice at board level and given its expansion to nine members earlier this year our voice could be lost."

Meanwhile, David Webster, whose production of 1000 bales a year puts him among the biggest woolgrowers in the west, said the industry was in "self destruction mode" and he wanted to help turn it around by removing politics and bureaucracy from the top of the industry.

Ms McGahan said she had been weighing up whether to run for the board for some weeks but despite significant support among woolgrowers for her fresh approach to marketing, had decided not to enter the often bitter world of wool politics.

Ms McGahan was the driving force behind the Test Marketing Project for wool in the United States in 2006, but was overlooked for an ongoing position at the top of the wool industry when AWI bought Woolmark last year.

AWI chairman Brian van Rooyen and elected board member Chris Abell will re-stand. Professional board members appointed to AWI earlier this year - Ken Boundy, Robyn Clubb and John Keniry - are also standing for the five seats to be contested.