Trefusis stud principal Georgina Wallace had to fight back tears when her group of fine Merino sheep were named winners of the coveted Lionel Weatherly trophy at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show (ASWS).
The Tasmanian stud entered a fine wool group with judge John Freeman, The Fringe Merino stud, Briagolong, saying it was the evenness of the group that got them over the line.
“They were a very well structured, even bodied group of sheep,” Mr Freeman said.
“They all carried long, white, glossy wool, as well as very even wool.
“We were looking for the most even group and that is what they were. You could put all their fleeces together in one line of wool.”
A good reason why the sheep were all incredibly even is three out of the five sheep - the lead ram and two ewes - are by the same sire, RP12-2792.
RP12-2792 is a Roseville Park ram that they purchased semen from and has bred on particularly well for the stud, according to Ms Wallace.
Out of the 10 sheep that Ms Wallace and her team took to Bendigo, five of them were by RP12-2792.
“The two ewes that weren’t in that group are peas in a pod,” Ms Wallace said.
“We had trouble deciding which ewes to put into the group because they were so similar. He produces bright, white, well crimped wool that are well covered.”
The lead ram ‘Bruce’, named after Bruce Forster who classed at Trefusis for many years, was the only three year-old with the remaining four sheep all two year-olds.
She said Bruce is performing well in two Merino lifetime productivity sites – one in the New England and one at Temora.
In second place was a superfine wool team bred by Paul Walton, Wurrook stud, Rokewood.
They also placed first in the group of three sheep (one ram and two ewes).
Mr Freeman said they were also an excellent line of sheep, but weren’t as even as the Trefusis team with one ram in particular not matching the rest of the team.
With significant changes being made to the stud in the last 10 years, Ms Wallace said the win produced a rush of emotion.
“We were predominately a Saxon superfine stud, but in 2009 we decided that we needed to increase the size, wool cut and fertility into the stud,” Ms Wallace said.
“We injected some other stud genetics and bought some rams from Nerstane and Langdene.
“The first drop of lambs with this change only hit the ground in 2010.
“So to achieve a result like this, in the sheep breeding game, that is not a long space of time.”
She believes they are now breeding to a type and they are starting to achieve more depth in the stud.
“After placing second in the team last year, the depth in the team this year was where most improvement was,” she said.
“We are breeding a similar type across all the ewes and the rams.”
It goes to show that we are breeding to a type and we are now starting to see depth happening in the stud.
- Georgina Wallace, Trefusis
Individual results of the sheep within the team included junior champion fine medium wool ewe, and junior champion fine wool ewe.
Bruce, the lead ram, came third in his six-tooth and over fine wool ram class and the second ram placed seventh in the four-tooth, August-shorn fine wool ram class.
“He placed seventh out of about 18 sheep and I am thrilled that he achieved that – it is Australia’s top show now, so if you can get up to second or third in any class you are doing really well,” Ms Wallace said.
“Breeders are all bringing their very top sheep, so to mix it with them is an achievement.”
She said the win was came as a team effort.
“A lot of credit has to go to Andrew Calvert, our stud classer of 10 years, and John Groves, who managed at Trefusis for 25 years and my husband Hamish – they are instrumental in it all,” she said.
“I think we have started to hit our straps, people can see what we are doing and the results we have been achieving over the last three or four years aren’t a fluke – we have the product behind us.”
The next move for Trefusis will be to take a team of five sheep to Sheepvention at Hamilton for the first time.
“It is a limited market selling rams here in Tasmania so we are going to see if we can attract a wider clientele base by heading up there,” she said.
Group results
The best exhibit of three Merino sheep went to Wurrook stud, Rokewood, with Trefusis placing second.
Oakbank Poll stud, Gre Gre North, won the best exhibit of three Poll Merino sheep with Willandra, Jerilderie, NSW, in second place.
Glenpaen stud, Brimpaen, won the Victorian Merino Pair of the Year with Langdene stud, NSW, eventually named the National Merino Pair. In reserve place for the National Merino Pair was East Bungaree stud, Hallett, SA.