A good white woolled sheep with an outstanding carcase from the Gale family’s stud, Galaxy Park, in SA was the shooting star in the Prime SAMM judging at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic.
And when judge Darryl MacDonald, Porcupine Ridge, Vic, announced the 19.9 micron ram as his supreme his excited handler Carolyn Gale give the ram a kiss and pat on the head.
“He is very good shaped, good through the shoulders and very even wool for a SAMM,” he said.
Their grand champion ram – Galaxy Park 68 – will be offered in the pen of five Hamilton Sheepvention ram sale early next month.
The April-2017- drop ram had good wool tests including a standard deviation of 3.4, a coefficient of variation of 17.3 per cent and a 99.3pc comfort factor.
It was sired by Galaxy Park 99/13– the reserve champion Prime SAMM ram at the 2014 Royal Adelaide Show.
The Gales from Tintinara also won reserve champion ram with Galaxy Park 58- a 20.9M ram which is a stud reserve.
After judging at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show four years ago SA breeder Geoff Gale was keen to return with sheep.
“We were hoping we would come over here and be competitive so it is even better to win a few prizes,” he said.
Galaxy Park had a dream debut with five blue ribbons for their six head, including wins in the pairs and group of three classes.
They were also the most successful exhibitors.
“Sixty percent of SAMMs is their carcase and 40pc is wool and because Australia is a good wool country we have made a special effort with the wool,” Mr Gale said.
NSW stud breeders Graeme and Lyn Wright, Braeside, Boree Creek, also shared in the broad ribbon spoils.
Their 22.5 micron ewe from the under 1.5 year old class won grand champion ewe.
“It has plenty of length, depth and beautiful white wool,” Mr MacDonald said.
The Corriedale breeder said he was impressed by the meat content and good conformation of the nearly 40 SAMM entries from SA, Vic and NSW.