'Dream come true': Tamaleuca delivers with fine wool Merino ram and ewe

It was a "dream come true" in the Merino shed at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show on Saturday for Tamaleuca Merino and Poll Merino stud co-principals Kevin and Danni Crook.

The well-known breeders from Ouyen found success with fine wool exhibits for the first time in their lengthy show careers, taking out the grand champion fine wool March-shorn ram ewe titles.

The stud previously had success in the medium wool and strong wool classes but the success in Bendigo with fine wool Merinos was a first.

"It's fantastic," Mr Crook said.

"To even be at Bendigo and have a sheep that makes it to the last final four or five is good.

"To come right out on top is really good."

He said the stud didn't typically breed or exhibit fine wools.

"We just had a couple fine wool rams and ewes that popped up this year on the finer side and we thought we might as well show them," he said.

"Normally, we concentrate on medium-strong [wools].

"It's definitely played out to the advantage of the fine wool ram."

The grand champion ram was a giant of a sheep with a weight of 163 kilograms, with such scale often not seen in fine wool classes.

"You'd definitely be a bit embarrassed sometimes walking down here with such a big animal," Mr Crook said.

However, despite the ram's size, he said its structure was very correct, he was "perfect on his feet" and "stood up tall".

"He's a perfectly balanced animal," he said.

"He just walks so magnificently across the paddock.

"For the scale of an animal that size to be able to walk that freely is magnificent."

Judge David Zouch, Crookwell, NSW, said the ram had a bone structure which was simply "unbelievable".

"He stands up well and has a lovely soft muzzle," he said.

Mr Zouch said the ram would cut a lot of wool, due to his size.

Tamaleuca also secured the grand champion fine wool March-shorn ewe ribbon and was over the moon to have success on the double.

"It's a dream come true," Mr Crook said.

He said the ewe also had "scale and correctness".

"She had very even, fine wool all over her body," he said.

The grand champion ewe had a 19-micron fleece.

Ms Crook said the ewe was "so pure in the face".

"We really like her for her sheer size, and she's just a lamb," she said.

Mr Zouch praised the young ewe on her conformation and wool.

"She stands very correctly, with a straight back, really soft muzzle and well-defined wool crimp," he said.

"She'll go on to be a very handy breeding ewe.

The Tamaleuca stud has been attending the ASWS since it was held in Melbourne.

This year, they brought a huge team of 17 sheep.

"We always do pretty well, which is great to see," Ms Crook said.

"Bendigo is the pinnacle for the Merinos."

Rangeview Merino stud, Darkan, WA, took out the grand champion August-shorn fine wool ram title.

Another Victorian stud secured the grand champion August-shorn fine wool ewe title.

A two-year-old polled ewe exhibited by Rock-Bank Merino and Poll Merino stud, Victoria Valley, took the August-shorn sash.