A love of animals from an early age has led 19-year old Tess Runting to set up her own small Corriedale stud, at Baxter, on the outskirts of Melbourne.
Now studying agriculture at the University of Melbourne, Ms Runting began Moralla Corriedales when she was still at Woodleigh School, on the Mornington Peninsula.
“I got involved with the Woodleigh school sheep team in year seven because I always loved animals as I kid,” Ms Runting said.
But at this year’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Bendigo, she was kept busy with exhibiting her own stud stock, helping organise competitions and was involved in the junior judging section.
Her ambitious attitude and eye for sheep breeding was recognised when she won the champion novice event, in the Corriedale judging, with two-year old, Harry.
“He has done very well as a show ram and there are lot of people interested in him,” Ms Runting said.
Morralla Corriedales has a flock of about 100, with the ewes dropping 26 lambs this year.
She said the fledgling stud used up to five different bloodlines, with the main one being Sweetfield Corriedales.
Ms Runting said she didn’t come from the land but discovered a passion for the sheep, at Woodleigh through its farm program.
As with a number of other schools, Woodleigh had concentrated on Corriedales, established through a longstanding genetics investment program initiated by the Australian Corriedale Association program.
Ms Runting said the breed was a good stepping stone to encouraging young people to take up all kinds of agricultural careers.
“I just love everything about Corriedales – they are a dual purpose breed so you can focus on wool, meat, or both,” she said
“They are fantastic for teaching people about both sides of the animal.”
She said her eventual aim was to expand Moralla, focusing on fibre production.
“Corriedale wool is really exceptional, it is quite versatile and you can use it for spinning and handcrafts,” Ms Runting said.
Backing up her win last year, Ms Runting again took out the senior section of the junior Corriedale judging at this year’s show.
“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for youth to give it a go - we are the future judges and we need to be learning how to do it.
“I used to be really nervous and didn’t really want to do it, but I saw the value in it.”
She said she would not be entering junior judging any more but had been asked to officiate at other shows.
“It’s up to the younger ones coming through. I have had a good go at it,” Ms Runting said.
Following her show and breeding success, she hoped to sell Morralla Corriedales, as well as further master the genetic development of the stud.
Despite focusing on her studies, Ms Runting still plans to back-up her show success by competing at the Royal Shows in Melbourne and Geelong later this year.
