The Western Australian pair took home the coveted national pairs award at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Bendigo.
The Hogg family’s Navanvale stud, Williams, WA, won the coveted prize, which marked the biggest award the stud has claimed in a Merino judging ring since it was founded in 1998.
When the stud was announced the winner medium wool Poll Merino judge Drew Chapman, Hinesville stud, Delegate, NSW, said the Navanvale team was a wonderful pair, which matched up really well.
“They were the best matched pair in the line-up, they were a true pair in every aspect,” he said.
“In addition to being well-matched they were both good physically and are well-balanced, with good wool coverage all over.
“They have superb wool quality from head to toe and are tremendous underneath in the belly area.”
But this wasn’t the only ribbon achieved by the stud, individually the ram and ewe tasted success in ring.
The four-tooth ram was sashed the champion medium wool August shorn Merino ram.
Medium wool Merino judge Rohan Sprigg, East Strathglen stud, Tambellup, WA, said it was tremendous sire with great coverage and a sirey outlook.
“He is also well-balanced and has tremendous wool quality all over,” Mr Sprigg said.
“He also has great staple length and terrific nourishment.”
The upstanding ram is sired by Navanvale Wally, which was sold by the stud at the 2014 Rabobank Katanning Show and Sale for $16,250 to the High Valley stud, Tarin Rock.
In the ring it carried wool figures of 21.9 micron, 2.9 SD, 13.2 CV and 99.5pc CF.
The ewe it went one better, and was also sashed the champion medium wool Merino ewe.
Mr Sprigg said the Navanvale ewe was a magnificent ewe and the complete animal.
“She is well-balanced and in proportion,” he said.
“She also carries a magnificent white wool all over from her topline down to her toes and belly.”
The classy ewe earned its right to compete in the championships after winning its class for August shorn, medium wool Merino ewes showing six or more permanent teeth in front of four other ewes.
The ET-bred ewe is by RP46 and out of Navanvale 3410, which is the dam of the stud’s 2014 Wagin Woolorama supreme exhibit Navanvale Frank.
In the wool it measured 19.4 micron, 3.1 SD, 16.0 CV and 99.5pc CF.
Fellow WA stud, East Mundalla stud, Tarin Rock, had an equally impressive showing, with its three rams all collecting broad ribbons.
Making the biggest impression was an upstanding strong wool Merino ram which was still carrying its lamb’s teeth.
All up the impressive sire collected six broad ribbons including grand champion strong wool ram, junior champion ram, champion March shorn ram, junior champion strong wool ram, champion strong wool Merino ram and champion strong wool March shorn Merino ram.
Strong wool judge Tim Dalla, Collinsville stud, Hallett, South Australia, said the ram was the complete package and showed true dual-purpose characteristics.
“He is a big, upstanding, well-balanced, structurally correct ram,” Mr Dalla said.
“He has a magnificent head and body.
“In addition to his excellent structure, he is also carrying plenty of gutsy, good testing strong wool.
“He is a very productive sheep - with plenty of meat and plenty of wool.”
The 135kg, ET-bred ram is by Jonty, which was the supreme exhibit at the 2011 Australian Sheep & Wool Show and out Charinga Tom 22.20.
It carried wool figures of 20.4 micron, 3.0 SD, 14.7 CV and 99.5pc CF.
The ram started on its winning ways when it placed first in its class for March shorn, strong wool Merino rams showing no permanent teeth in front of eight other rams
It also won the strong wool Merino ram class for rams showing no permanent teeth in the all-purpose competition.
The East Mundalla stud also had success in the strong wool Poll Merino ram classes, exhibiting the reserve champion strong wool Poll Merino ram and champion March shorn Poll Merino ram.
Mr Dalla said the ram had a magnificent skin which was producing an excellent quality strong wool.
“He is a really productive sire which is going to cut a lot of wool and in addition to this he has a great body and structure,” Mr Dalla said.
The upstanding sire competed in the championships after finishing ahead of 10 other rams in the class for strong wool, March shorn Poll Merino rams showing no permanent teeth.
The ET-bred ram, which is by Collinsville Imperial 141 and out of Glenlea Park 739-86, had wool figures of 22.4 micron, 3.2 SD, 14.3 CV and 99.3pc CF.
It was also sashed the reserve junior champion strong wool ram.
The stud’s third ram was a March shorn, medium wool Poll Merino sire and it didn’t let the team down.
It collected the reserve junior champion medium wool ram and reserve champion medium wool March shorn Poll Merino ram ribbons, after winning its class for medium wool, March shorn rams showing no permanent teeth ahead of 14 other sires.
Mr Chapman described the ram as a top poll sire, which showed great staple length and huge richness in the wool.
The Westerdale stud, McAlinden, WA, backed up its success at shows earlier in its home state this year when its two August shorn, fine-medium wool Poll Merino rams stood out on the judging mat.
Leading the stud’s charge was its six-tooth sire when it was sashed the champion fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram and champion fine-medium wool August shorn Poll Merino ram.
Mr Paterson said the ram showed phenomenal staple length and carried its wool quality all over right down to its belly and toes.
“It is a beautiful, rich white wool,” he said.
“In addition to his quality wool he also has a good pure head.”
The quality woolled ram, which was the grand champion Poll Merino ram at this year’s Wagin Woolorama, had wool figures of 20.5 micron, 3.1 SD, 15.1 CV and 99.2pc CF.
Its travelling companion was sashed the reserve champion fine-medium wool August shorn Poll Merino ram.
