A total of 449 fleeces have been entered in the 18th Australian Fleece Competition at this year’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show (ASWS).
Fleece competition convener and Landmark wool account manager, Candice Cordy, said the total included 42 entries in the Corriedale classes that coincided with the 16th World Corriedale Congress being held at the show this year.
There were also 14 fleeces entered in the Corriedale section for fleeces entered by schools colleges or individuals.
Ms Cordy said overall this year growers were vying for around $17,000 worth of prizes including a $2000 prize for the Grand Champion Fleece.
She said that this year’s nominated charity was the Lyme Disease Association of Australia.
Ms Cordy said that in the 17 years of the competition it had raised $146,000 for various charities due to the generosity of the breeders.
The competition was a joint initiative between the Australian Sheep Breeders Association, the AWTA and Landmark .
The aim was to establish a fully measured fleece competition and a lot of work was put into establishing the benchmarks and judging criteria for each breed, Ms Cordy said.
“We are so lucky to have such a big show in our own town and to be part of that,” she said.
Ms Cordy said it had been a difficult year for growers with challenging seasonal conditions.
She said it was too early to tell what impact growing conditions would have on yield and micron.
Judges this year were Jason Carmichael, TWG Landmark, and wool exporter representative, Chris Kelly, Australian Merino Export.
“Wool is a good, renewable fibre that’s being produced in an environmentally conscious way,” Ms Cordy said.
“There is a big future for wool in the world textile market and the competition is a fantastic way for growers to benchmark their fleeces against others.
“It’s also a great resource for growers, students and other industry participants to look at the performance of a range of bloodlines and fleece types.
“There is a wealth of information for everyone.”
The 2017 winner of grand champion fleece, Trefusis Merino Stud, Ross, Tasmania, is returning this year with eight fleeces entered.
Trefusis also won the grand champion fleece award in 2015.
“Last year was a great thrill – it blew me away – I cried,” stud principal, Georgina Wallace, said.
“With fleeces in the competition from Australia, and for us to be top dog, I still pinch myself.
Last year’s fleece scored 97.1, the largest score in the event’s history, and just 0.1 of a point ahead of a Polwarth fleece entered by fellow Tasmanian, Roxford Pastoral.
It was the first time since the awards inception that a non-Merino had won a major award.
Ms Wallace paid credit to stud classer Andrew Calvert and previous manager of 25 years, John Groves.
She said Mr Groves still came and assisted at the stud and she valued his input and comments.
“The awards mean a lot to us as reassurance that all our hard work is being recognised,” Ms Wallace said.
“It also reassures our clients that we are on the right track.
“I am one for putting my sheep and fleeces out there to do the talking.
“We use the competition to benchmark against a lot of other studs.”
Ms Wallace said the fleece competition was a “shop window” to get to clients on the mainland and around Tasmania.
She said the wool market and Merino industries were in “a positive place”.
“It’s looking good for the short to medium term.
“It’s great for those that have hung in through thick and thin.”
Ms Wallace said the area around the property had been fortunate this season with rain.
She has entered eight fleeces including some from “the ewe “big bessie” that won the Grand Champion fleece at the Campbell Town Show in early June.
The ewe was the junior fine/medium champion at last year’s ASWS.
“She cut 11 kilograms of 19.4 micron wool, which is a massive weight for a ewe. She’s a very productive sheep,” Ms Wallace said.
