Dingo bites back to win Queensland's ram of the year title in Roma

A one-and-a-half-year-old poll Merino ram that survived a dingo attack as a lamb has defied the odds to win Queensland Ram of the Year at the 2025 Queensland State Sheep Show in Roma on May 10.

The 130-kilogram poll Merino ram nicknamed Dingo from the Jolly Jumbuck stud at Mitchell, operated by siblings Felicity, Charlie, and Lachie Brumpton, impressed Western Australian judges Jeremy King of Rangeview Merinos and Grantly Mullan of Eastville Park stud, with his overall wool quality, strong carcase traits, and balanced structure.

Dingo also took out grand champion poll ram, Queensland junior ram of the year, and supreme poll exhibit.

"We're stoked with the result," Charlie Brumpton said, speaking on behalf of his siblings.

"Dingo is an embryo transfer ram, by a Terrick West sire named Martin, from Victoria and out of our best ET ewe, JJ 162673, who's been breeding our top lambs for three years now and goes back to Willandra Desmond.

"She's been a pretty valuable ewe for us."

Dingo's success is particularly remarkable considering his brush with danger at just eight months old.

"A dingo actually had a chew on him," Charlie told the Queensland Country Life.

"He got bitten and pushed through a couple of fences. But even after that, he was still fat as anything - we sheared him, showed him, and he just kept performing."

With a micron of 18.9, a standard deviation of 3.2, a CV of 14, and a comfort score of 99.9 per cent, Dingo's wool was a standout in a highly competitive market.

Mr Brumpton also noted he likely maxed out at 130 kilograms nearly three months ago.

"He's a very neat ram with a lot of meat on him," Mr Brumpton said.

"That's what we're pushing through our poll merinos - a good carcass, good shape, width, depth and length, combined with quality medium wool."

Jolly Jumbuck entered five rams and six ewes this year, racking up wins across categories including junior champion poll ram, champion strong wool ram, champion fine wool poll ram, and the poll aggregate award.

"This year we probably had our best team yet for style and quality of wool," Charlie said.

"We've been pushing wool quality for years now, which reflects where the wool market is heading."

Registered in 2006, Jolly Jumbuck has grown from 100 ewes sourced from Moorundie Park in South Australia to now managing 800 stud ewes and selling around 220 poll merino rams each year.

The Brumpton siblings now run the breeding program on the family's home block in Mitchell, with a commercial flock in Cunnamulla.

"We're hoping to slaughter 6000 lambs this year, and get $40 worth of wool off each one," Charlie said.

"That makes them pretty competitive with dorpers or shedding sheep.

"Our ewes are cutting about $60 worth of wool, so if merino lambs hold at $200 to $250 a head, we're in a strong position."

Despite dry conditions further south, Queensland producers like the Brumptons are benefiting from a solid season.

"We've had one of our better summers, good November and April rain. It's set us up really well," he said.

Dingo the merino poll ram will next compete at the Australian Ram of the Year competition in Dubbo this August.