Clean sweep: Greenland claims major fleece competition titles at Sydney Royal

The Alcock family of Greenland Merinos, Maffra, has dominated the fleece competition at this year's Sydney Royal, with the operation claiming several major titles in the stud's first foray into the housed competition.

Greenland had a clean sweep, winning the grand champion and reserve grand champion fleece in the housed section, while also winning the champion Merino fleece in the district exhibit competition.

Greg Andrews, RAS steward, believed it was the first time a competitor had claimed all three awards at the same show.

The grand champion fleece scored 91 out of a possible 100 under judges Stuart Bailey, Techwool Trading, and Mark Beazley, Riverina Wools.

It had a greasy fleece weight of 6.7 kilograms with 70.4 per cent yield and score 4.5 from a possible five for density, character, style, evenness of fibre diameter and handle.

It tested 16.3 micron fibre diameter, 2.7 micron standard deviation, 16.7 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.3pc comfort factor.

The fleece came from the housed or rugged skirted fleece from an ultrafine ewe or wether.

Greenland also won reserve grand champion for its skirted fleece for an ultrafine ewe or wether in the topmaking type wool open classes.

It scored 90.5 points with 4.8kg greasy fleece weight and 80.9pc yield.

It tested 16.5 micron, 2.7 micron SD, 16.2pc CV and 99.9pc CF.

Johnny Alcock, Greenland, said he usually entered the district competition, but this was the first time the family had entered the housed competition.

Mr Alcock said the grand champion fleece came off a two-tooth Merino ewe.

"She was one we were considering bringing down here to the show but we just reckoned she wasn't quite wide enough across the scrag," he said.

"But she had magnificent wool on her so I shore her up and entered the fleece instead."

The reserve grand champion came off a commercial ewe, he said.

"I keep a lot of wool for the southern district exhibit and it was just one that didn't match in with the eight fleeces there," he said.

Greenland is a superfine stud and has various families to cater for different clients.

"We keep them all very pure in those families so they breed very predictable," he said.

"They're sheep that can handle those high-rainfall areas - where Greenland is its 40 inch [1016 millimetres] so that will try the wools out."

Moray Pastoral Company, Guyra, backed up its success from last year to be crowned the most successful exhibitor for the second year in a row.

The operation won and placed in numerous classes throughout the topmaking section.

There were 203 fleeces entered and judge Mark Beazley said there was a range in quality.

"Anything which was exceptionally well prepared came to the front," he said.

"The commercial reality of life is weight wins."