Coryule Merinos has continued its strong performance at the Royal Melbourne Show Sheep Fleece Competition.
The win, announced last Friday, means the Willowvale-based stud has won the champion skirted fleece four times in the past five years since it began entering the competition. This year, it won with a fine wool skirted fleece from one of their stud rams.
Stud manager Craig Trickey said the ram was a full embryo transfer brother to their grand champion Merino ram at Sheepvention, Hamilton, early last month.
The two year-old ram was by Pencaw 1169 and out of Coryule 297, which won grand champion restricted ewe at Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Bendigo.
“It was a ram that we had prepared up for the show circuit so it was shorn just after Sheepvention,” Mr Trickey said.
The 18.9-micron winning fleece scored a total of 93.5 points out of a possible 100, including the full 30 points for clean fleece weight; the full six points for density; and nine out of 10 for trueness to breed, conformity of length, soundness, character and style and evenness.
Coryule Merinos was also named most successful exhibitor. It also won best ultra fine Merino fleece and best Merino fleece from a commercial grower.
Another top performer was long-time show fleece competition entrant Doug Hopkins, Challicum Polwarth stud, Buangor. He won champion lambs’ wool with his entry in the comeback lambs' wool class that scored a 92 points, including full points for soundness and density.
Champion district fleece was awarded to RJ&MJ Bennett, Rainbow Ridge, Everton Upper, representing Benalla A&P Society.
Demondrille Merino stud, Murrumburrah NSW, won best superfine Merino fleece with a 17M fleece that scored 93 points.
Dennis Byrne, Maroona, won best strong Merino fleece with a 22.2M fleece from the skirted fleece of strong Merino ewe or wether's wool class that was awarded 90 points. This fleece went onto win most valuable commercial fleece.
RASV fleece committee chair Roger Wilkinson said the shift of judging timing will allow for all fleeces to be displayed during the show.
“This year sees the judging of the fleece competition moved to the week prior to the Royal Melbourne Show so that all fleeces can be displayed throughout the entire 11 days of the event, to over 450,000 visitors expected to attend,” Mr Wilkinson said.
The competition is supported by Rodwells, Victorian Wool Processors, Doug Hopkins, Arcadian Wool and AWTA.
