The winners of last year's two National Merino Pairs competitions backed up their success at this year's event.
Judged on Friday night, both the March-shorn and August-shorn ram and ewe pairs were won by the same studs that won it last year.
In addition, the winner of the March-shorn category, Terrick West Poll Merino stud, Prairie, took home the reserve ribbon, which they also did last year.
The winner of the August-shorn category was Hollow Mount Merino stud, Bigga, NSW.
The judges started with the March-shorn category, and in announcing Terrick West's win, judge Mitch Hogg, Navanvale Merino stud, Williams, WA, said "they were so similar it's not funny".
"They were a true pair that were matched very well," Mr Hogg said.
"They have well-nourished, heavy-cutting white wool, and their constitution is flawless."
And that consistency of type was what Terrick West stud principal Ross McGauchie was most proud of.
"They're very similar in type, style and structure," he said.
Mr McGauchie said the large majority of the 26 sheep they were showing in Bendigo this year - including their champion and reserve champion pairs - were by a group of three rams that were "as good as we've ever bred" that they never got a chance to show.
"They were penned and ready to go for the 2020 ASWS just before it was cancelled, so no one got a chance to see them," he said.
"We used them extensively and have bred really well from them."
He said the two rams would be offered for sale at the Adelaide Ram Sale in September after being toured around the show circuit.
He said the ewes would most likely be used in an embryo transfer program.
"ET has been the most brilliant thing to advance the industry," he said.
"The fact that we'll be able to get 20-30 lambs on the ground from these ewes is incredible."
Speaking on behalf of the judges after the August-shorn category, Roseville Park Merino stud principal Matthew Coddington, Dubbo, NSW, said Hollow Mount's pair were exactly what they were after - "two peas in a pod".
"It's a massive achievement for them to back it up two years in a row," Mr Coddington said.
"Both were very productive sheep and they were structurally correct.
"Their wool is impeccable, white throughout the points and underline."
Hollow Mount stud manager David Zouch said the win was "unbelievable".
"You don't expect to win something like this once in a lifetime, let alone twice, let alone in back-to-back years," he said.
Mr Zouch said the pair were by the same sire that sired last year's winning pair - Yarrawonga 193 - who Hollow Mount purchased from Yarrawonga Merino stud, Cunningar, NSW, for $60,000 in 2019.
He said this year's pair had "beautiful, bright, white, crimpy wool".
"And the scale of the ewe next to the ram really makes a difference," he said.
"They both have a good presence about them."
He said the pair were the perfect example of what they were striving to breed.
"We're looking for that fine to medium wool that's safe for high-rainfall areas," he said.
Hollow Mount's entry beat out the reserve champion entry by Rangeview Merino and Poll Merino stud, Darkan, WA.
Mr Coddington said that pair were very close behind the top pair.
Joely Mitchell
Joely started her career at Stock & Land as a cadet journalist in 2016. She is now the editor of the paper.
Joely started her career at Stock & Land as a cadet journalist in 2016. She is now the editor of the paper.
