For only the second time in 29 years, there was a tie for the most successful Merino exhibitor at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.
Richard Beggs, Nareeb Nareeb stud, Glenthompson, said it was his 29th year of awarding the Sandford Beggs Perpetual Trophy, in memory of his grandfather, and it was only the second time he’d presented the award to two studs, this year being Wurrook, from Rokewood, and Alfoxton, from Armidale, NSW.
Mr Beggs said this year, the broad ribbons were spread very evenly around, which spoke to the strength of the competition from studs that came to Bendigo from across the country.
Most successful exhibitors of the different micron classes were also awarded: Mt Challicum in the ultrafine; Wurrook in superfine; Melrose from Nurrabiel in fine; NSW stud Nerstane in fine/medium; NSW stud Willandra in medium; and WA stud East Mundalla in strong.
Dunedoo NSW based stud Langdene won the Lionel Weatherly Trophy for the best exhibit of five Merino sheep. Co-principal Garry Cox said they were runner up last year and won it in 2015, which spoke to the consistency in their stud. Their group of three rams and two ewes, including the reserve champion fine wool ram, showed similar type and fine/medium wool.
Langdene also won best exhibit of three Merino sheep.
The McRae family’s Oakbank stud, St Arnaud, won the best exhibit of three Poll Merino sheep – the ram in this group was also in the Victorian Merino Pair of the Year, that came in reserve of the national championship.
The Gooding family's East Mundalla stud, Tarin Rock, WA, placed number one in the March shorn sale rams which judge Daniel Rogers, Mount Yulong stud, Telangatuk East, Victoria, said showed excellent size and wool quality.
Fellow WA stud Rangeview won the champion August shorn pair of sale rams.
Mr Rogers said the Rangeview pair were very even, had good strong heads and had plenty of wool on them.
Unhoused champions
Willandra stud, Jerilderie, NSW, won both grand champion and reserve champion unhoused rams, with the Wells family’s medium entry taking the top gong, and their strong entry coming in second. Judge Cam Munro, Egelabra Merino stud, Warren, NSW, said they were both very good, productive sheep.
The winning ram was by a One Oak sure that Ross Wells purchased as part of a pen of ram lambs at the stud’s dispersal sale, that was later sold to the Grogansworth stud. The reserve is by a ram from WA stud Woodyarrup.
For the second year in a row, Mt Challicum won grand champion unhoused ewe. The stud’s Phil Hartwich said this year’s winner was an ultrafine ewe from their Tim line, originally from Rock-Bank, and had that family’s characteristic lovely, stylish wool, low micron, good coverage and wool-cut.
The rising three year-old ewe is in-lamb. It will be her first lamb as the Hartwich family showed her as a two year-old last year.
March shorn champions
Judge Paul Norrish, Angenup stud, WA, said it was a unanimous decision to award Terrick West’s entry champion March shorn ewe of the show. “It’s magnificient and it fits the bill from head to toe,” Mr Norrish said. Seymour Park stud, Highbury, WA, won champion March shorn ram.