Orrie Cowie wins supreme Merino on debut at Vic Sheep Show

Orrie Cowie Merino stud, Nhill, Vic, took out the supreme Merino exhibit, in their first time competing at the Victorian Sheep Show in Ballarat, Vic, on Sunday.

A medium wool ram by Orrie Cowie Merinos edged ahead of the superfine Merino ewe by Beverley Merino stud, Redesdale, Vic, who won supreme Merino ewe.

The 165-kilogram ram was praised for his tremendous size, depth of barrel, and the quality of his wool.

When it came down to the final two Merino champions, judge Richard Halliday, Callowie Poll Merinos, Bordertown, said the ram's softness and suppleness of skin pushed him over the line.

"He had a huge volume of wool and a really supple, soft skin," he said.

"But both the ewe and the ram were excellent, true to type Merinos."

Competing for the first time at Ballarat, Orrie Cowie won 25 ribbons, including 16 broadribbons, with their show team of nine sheep.

"We had a great day," stud principal John Dalla said.

"We brought nine sheep and eight of them won individual champions."

Originally a SA-based stud at the historic Orrie Cowie family farm in Warooka, the stud recently relocated to Nhill last year when Mr Dalla made the move.

Picture by Petra Oates

"It was time for succession with our family farm in SA, so I sold my share and moved to Nhill in April," Mr Dalla said.

"I brought the stud with me."

Established by Mr Dalla's great-grandfather, Orrie Cowie has been a registered Poll Merino stud since 1962.

"I was fifth generation on the Orrie Cowie farm before we sold it," Mr Dalla said.

The stud has already had a good start to the show season, taking out supreme exhibit at the Wimmera Autumn Merino Sheep Show in Horsham, Vic, earlier in the year with the same ram.

Mr Dalla's brother Tim Dalla is the stud manager of Collinsville Merinos, Hallett.

They have a friendly rivalry going this show season.

"He won supreme exhibit at the Hay Sheep Show, NSW, last weekend," Mr Dalla said.

"We'll have plenty of sheep go up against each other at Bendigo, so we'll see how they go side-by-side."

Beverley Merino stud, Redesdale, also had an extremely successful day.

The stud won the supreme Merino ewe, alongside many other classes, with their 12-sheep show team.

"The ewe was a really sweet superfine type and carried [the wool] well down onto her flank, across her belly, and up through her neck onto her head," judge Halliday said.

"She also had a lovely barrel and was very balanced for a genuine superfine type."

Stud principal Alex Lewis said the day had been extremely hard, after the sudden loss of his uncle and former Beverley stud principal John Barty three weeks ago. He was only 64 years old.

"It threw everything into chaos a bit, but we're trying to make the best of it," he said.

With a supreme ewe win, and several other ribbons secured across the day, Mr Lewis said he "couldn't have hoped for better", after the effort it took to get to the show.