THE grand champions in the strong wool section spanned from a stud that is a little over an hour away from Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showground to one of the other side of the country.
The McRae family’s Oakbank stud, St Arnaud, Vic, won the grand champion strong wool ram and West Australian stud St Quentin’s won grand champion strong wool ram.
Jack McRae said the ram was by NYP44, a home-bred sire going back to a Nyowie ram. Its wool measured 21.6 micron, 3.1M SD, 14.4pc CV and 99.5pc CF. The six-tooth, Poll ram was also in the Victorian Merino Pair of the Year. Mr McRae said its bulk of quality wool cut and good structure set it apart. The ram stands really well. He said they planned to retain this ram in the stud and would collect from him and possibly market semen, before joining the ram to stud ewes in February.
WA stud St Quentin’s horned ram was in reserve.
St Quentin’s ewe was sashed the grand champion strong wool ewe of the show. Its wool measured 22.1 micron, 3.5 SD, 15.8 CV and 99.1pc comfort factor.
Mr Norrish said the ewe was a stand-out.
"She has a magnificent carcase, stands up extremely well and carries a bright, stylish, white wool, which there is plenty of," he said.
Mr Norrish said the reserve champion ewe, exhibited by Willandra stud, Jerilderie, NSW, was only a lamb and would have a big future.