'Dream weekend' for Merino breeder with another strong wool win at Bendigo

There was tough competition in the strong wool Merino classes at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show.

Collinsville Merino stud, Hallett, SA, took out the grand champion August-shorn strong wool ram, and eventually went on to be crowned supreme Merino of the show with the same exhibit.

However, a variety of exhibitors brought variety to the strong wool line-up, resulting in four different studs claiming a grand champion sash.

Barloo Poll Merino stud, Gnowangerup, WA, took out the grand champion March-shorn strong wool ram, while two Victorian studs won the strong ewe classes.

Kedleston Park Merino stud, Calivil, bagged the grand champion March-shorn strong ewe with a young Poll Merino lamb.

Kedleston Park stud principals John and Rosemary Humbert said the weekend had been a "dream come true" as they headed home with a grand champion broad sash and the grand champion fleece ribbon they had been chasing for 20 years.

"It's been a really exciting weekend," Mr Humbert said.

"We're very proud of our fleece win."

He said their young Poll Merino winner had a very similar style of wool to their show-winning fleece.

"That fleece type is characteristic of Kedleston Park," he said.

"It has a long staple, pearly white wool with a deep and very pronounced crimp.

"She's a positive tester too, meaning [her wool] tests finer than what her visual is."

Structurally, the ewe was praised for her "spring of rib, width through her hindquarter and her chest".

"The judge and I had the same opinion of her," Mr Humbert said.

"She is just very sound structurally."

The 14-month-old young ewe was 92 kilograms and competed in the two-tooth class.

The winner of the grand champion August-shorn strong wool ewe, Glendonald stud principal Robert Harding, Nhill, was pleased with the win, particularly given the "magnificent" quality of ewes that he was competing against.

Mr Harding is no stranger to showring success, having lost count of the number of broad ribbons he's taken home, but said his winning ewe maintained the quality he had been striving to achieve over the years.

"I've always tried to breed them big and woolly," he said.

"Let's face it, as farmers, everything we produce is sold by the kilogram, whether it's wool, meat or grain, so if you can get your sheep to produce more meat and more wool, you'll have more money in your pocket."

Mr Harding said events like the ASWS were crucial for the future of sheep breeding.

"The show scene sets the standard of sheep," he said.

But he said there were many challenges facing the Merino industry.

"The price of wool has reduced the amount of Merino ewes in the country," he said.

"We need to improve our marketing of wool."

Judge Bruce Rollinson, Jerilderie, NSW, said the Glendonald ewe was "outstanding".

"She's a great, big ewe," Mr Rollinson said.

"Her size and scale are outstanding.

"She's got a beautiful lock in her wool and length of staple.

"She carried that quality right down underneath too.

"I was very impressed by her."