Shalimar Park Merino stud wins Australian Fleece Competition

Shalimar Park Merino stud, Walcha, NSW, was awarded grand champion fleece with an ultrafine Merino fleece, beating out 343 entries from 114 other exhibitors.

The 16.3-micron fleece scored 95.78 points out of a possible 100 points, in the stud's 15^th year entering the competition.

The fleece came off Shalimar Park stud ewe R/W 321 which was sired by Shalimar Park stud ram W686.

The ewe was no stranger to success, having won champion Merino ewe at the Sydney Royal Easter Show last year as a two-tooth ewe.

Shalimar Park stud principal Alison van Eyk made the journey to Bendigo to pick up the award at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, which she described as a "dream come true".

"Year after year I've looked through the [fleece] boxes [at the ASWS] and the quality is always so high, and from all over, not just locally, so to win the competition is a great honour," she said.

Ms van Eyk said the winning fleece was the "epitome" of what her and her family were striving to breed.

"It's got micron, style, is fairly traditional, great handling, soft and cuts well," she said.

"It's the result of a lot of days and a lot of time in the yards.

"It's the sort of fleece that when you open it, you go 'wow'."

She said Shalimar Park was a "family operation", with her daughter and son-in-law Jane and Des Carlon, and their eldest son Jack, heavily involved.

"We used to show at the ASWS between 2009-2015, but it was just a bit too far to travel, but now that Jack is involved, it's possible he might start showing them down here again," she said.

"But that's completely up to him."

The family run about 7000 ewes.

Competition judge Lou Morsh, Modiano Australia, said he was impressed with the standard of fleece entered this year.

"Being my second opportunity to judge the competition, the depth of quality was far greater this time I believe, and judging was more difficult," Mr Morsh said.

"The champion fleeces were stand outs in their field."

Last year's winners, the Hartwich family, Challicum Merino stud, Ararat, continued their success in the competition, taking out the reserve grand champion honour.

Their 14.8-micron extra ultrafine Merino fleece scored 95.50 points, only .28 points behind Shalimar Park.

Connorville Station, Cressy, Tas, won champion commercial fleece with an 18.4-micron superfine Merino, scoring 91.80 points.

Nutrien Ag Solutions wool account manager and competition convener Candice Cordy said the quality of fleeces this year was outstanding.

Ms Cordy said she was pleased this year's competition ran smoothly.

"Given the large number of moving parts that come together to make the competition a success, this year worked well," she said.

"The support from exhibitors, as well as our generous sponsors, allows us to put together an event that we are all proud of."

Supported by 23 sponsors, the competition offers $18,000 in prizes, with the grand champion fleece exhibitor collecting a $2200 travel voucher sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elanco Animal Health.

Kedleston Park Merino stud, Calivil, won the performance class with a 17.8-micron fleece that scored 86.90 points.

The performance class caters for exhibitors shearing in six to eight-month cycles commercially.

Almost two-thirds of the fleeces on show were donated by exhibitors to be auctioned at the completion of the competition, with this year's proceeds to be donated to Down Syndrome Australia.

All competition fleeces were weighed and sampled for objective measurement (including length and strength), under standard procedures of the Australian Wool Testing Authority.

The competition is a joint effort by the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association, Australian Wool Testing Authority and Nutrien Ag Solutions.