RENOWNED sheep breeder Greg Toll has put pen to paper in an effort to share the history of the Wiltipoll breed in Australia.
Mr Toll – who is a familiar face around the judging ring at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo – has just published a book titled The Gee Tee Wiltipoll Story.
He and his brother John run the Gee Tee Wiltipoll and Wiltshire Horn stud at Gunbower in northern Victoria.
Their family were among the first to breed Wiltipoll sheep in the 1970s.
"I first heard about them (Wiltshire Horns) listening to the ABC Country Hour on the radio," Mr Toll said.
"They were interviewing a Welsh chap called Iolo Owen, who was breeding Wiltshire Horns, and he was talking about a guy in Central Victoria who was breeding these shedding sheep."
The interview caught Mr Toll's attention and the next day he bought two ewes and a ram from the Wiltshire breeder.
He said he was immediately impressed by the fact the breed did not need to be shorn and had good meat structure.
But Mr Toll wanted more – and he soon set about breeding a polled sheep that would later become known as the Wiltipoll.
"When I brought the ram home I realised there were not enough ewes for him so I included some of my own Poll Dorset ewes and six black-faced Suffolk ewes purchased from Dick Shipp," he said.
"My aim at the time was to breed polled Wiltshire sheep – another 'easy-care' characteristic."
He said the breed had continued to improve over the years but was now getting very close to the ideal Wiltipoll.
Over the years the Tolls have exported Wiltipoll genetics to Fiji and New Zealand.
Today they join about 1000 Wiltipoll ewes.
Mr Toll said he was happy he had finally taken the time to detail the breed's history.
"People have always asked me when I am I going to tell this story," he said. "Now I have."
