An Ouyen-based sheep stud has dominated the Merino judging at Sheepvention

An Ouyen-based sheep stud has taken out all three major Merino titles at Sheepvention in Hamilton.

Tamaleuca Merino and Poll Merino stud won both grand champion Merino ram and ewe titles, along with the grand champion dual-purpose Merino in one of the stud's most successful years yet.

Tamaleuca stud co-principals Kevin and Danni Crook said they were delighted with the win after coming close at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo recently.

The grand champion ram came third at Bendigo in the medium wool class.

"That was a huge win for us," Mr Crook said.

"If you're in the first half dozen at Bendigo, you know you've got a good sheep."

Mr Crook estimated the huge 2.5-year-old ram to be around 150 kilograms.

"He's too big for the scales, so we haven't weighed him in a long time, but I expect he's about 150kg," he said.

The ram won the medium wool class at Hamilton before going on to take out the broad sash and was praised by the judges for his overall correctness and structure with white, waxy wool.

"For a heavy, big sheep, he's amazing on his feet," Mr Crook said.

The ram had a 19.3-micron fleece with a standard deviation (SD) of 3 and a comfort factor (CF) of 99.8 per cent.

Tamaleuca's grand champion ewe was praised for her extremely rich, bright wool with a long staple.

The ewe had a 20.5-micron fleece with an SD of 3.4 and a CF of 98.5pc.

The two grand champions did not have any major breeding lines in common through their sire lines.

"The champion ewe is full Tamaleuca and the champion ram goes back to a Poll Boonoke ram from the Riverina," Ms Crook said.

While it was a gratifying day for the stud, it was not the first year Tamaleuca has had success at the event.

Last year, the stud won the grand champion ewe and the dual-purpose broad sash.

Ms Crook said they were particularly pleased to defend their dual-purpose title again this year.

"As a breeder, to be recognised for the wool and the meat in the dual-purpose title is really great," she said.

Mr Crook said wool was important, but the carcase was "where the money is at the moment".

"And there's a lot of money there right now," he said.

"We sell all our wethers over the hooks, as do some of our clients, and they always get a premium for their intramuscular fat when they see them hanging.

"The Merinos are getting closer and closer to the crossbred prices."

The dual-purpose ram had a 17.9-micron fleece, with an SD of 2.8 and CF of 99.8pc.

The medium wool ram was a young sheep who was also fresh off a win at Bendigo after claiming the dual-purpose ram lamb champion sash.

"He went on to come third overall in the dual-purpose at Bendigo," Ms Crook said.

"He was a lamb at Bendigo, and he's just cracked his teeth now."