THE Walton family’s Wurrook stud, Rokewood, has won grand champion superfine ram and ewe.
New Zealand judge Bevan McKnight described the grand champion superfine ewe as a great example of the superfine category, with great wool coverage and correct structure.
In her showing debut, the ewe came through not showing more than four permanent teeth.
The ewe, from the Wurrook Ringmaster family, has wool that measured 17.2M, 2.5 SD, 14.5 CV, 99.8 CF, 63 curvature and 15.9 spinning fineness.
Mr McKnight awarded Wurrook’s Poll Merino champion superfine ram. He said the ram had beautiful skin, depth and was wonderfully balanced. Its wool measured 16.7M, 2.5 SD, 15.0 CV and 99.9 CF.
He said it had more spring of rib over the horned ram in reserve, exhibited by Victoria Valley’s Rock-Bank stud. Mr McKnight was also very impressed with the reserve champion ram and said its underline was magnificent.
Wurrook’s principal Paul Walton said they planned on retaining the ram, by a Bundaleer Poll ram, in the stud.
Wurrook also had the grand champion fine wool ewe, which went onto win ewe of the show, and the Eilan Donan’s ram that topped this section went one better to be supreme exhibit.
Rock-Bank won ultrafine wool ram of the show with ‘Phil’, a four-tooth ram whose wool measured 15.7M, 1.9 SD, 12.1CV and 100 CF.
Principal John Crawford described the ram’s wool as “unique” as there was a “fair bit of it” and it was very even and very soft. The ram is by Ultra 10, of the stud’s Ringmaster family that Mr Crawford described as its finest wool family. He said they planned to show the ram’s fleece next year and he would go into the stud and they would collect from him as an insurance measure.
The Mibus family’s Glenara stud, Dunkeld, won grand champion ultrafine ewe with a rising two year-old ewe with wool that measured 15.5M, 2.1 SD, 13.5 CV and 100 CF.
Trevor Mibus said four-tooth ewe was structurally correct and was set apart by her terrific skin and quality wool and evenness, with quality wool under her belly and down her legs.
He said they would will join her naturally in November and then she’ll go into our AI program.
This ewe was among the first drop of Rock-Bank Walta progeny at Glenara.
