Collinsville makes it two years in a row for Australian supreme Merino ram

It was a back-to-back glory for South Australia's Collinsville stud, after being crowned the 2025 Australian supreme Merino ram at the Rabobank Merino Nationals in Dubbo.

Collinsville Lustre 565, by Collinsville Lustre 33, won at Burra, SA, before going on to win the supreme Merino at this year's Australian Sheep and Wool Show.

The May-2023 drop recorded a fibre diameter of 22.1 micron, standard deviation of 3.0 micron, coefficient of variation of 13.8 per cent and 98.7pc comfort factor.

Tim Dalla, Collinsville, Hallett, SA, said breeding the ram was no fluke.

The ram was embryo-bred by Collinsville Lustre 33, which sold for $88,000 to Lach River, Darbys Falls, and Westray, Peak Hill.

Mr Dalla said the ram's dam, Collinsville Emperor 351215146, was part of the South Australian 2023 pair of the year.

"We deliberately do an embryo-transfer program to mate these sheep together to try and improve them," he said.

"We're aiming for balance, size, constitution, structure, and wool cut."

The ram would be retained by stud, he said, with some ET and AI lambs on the ground already.

"We're very excited to see those in the future and we believe he'll breed on because he's got a terrific pedigree."

The win marked two years in a row for the stud, and Mr Dalla said it was flattering to again finish on top.

"It's extraordinary," he said."

The judges were George Merriman, Merryville, Boorowa, James Ballinger, Waverly Downs, Delungra, Richard Beggs, Nareeb Nareeb, Nareeb, Victoria, Alan Harris, Koole Vale, Costerfield, Vic, and Joe Dahlitz, Roemahkita, Cummins, South Australia.

Mr Ballinger commended the exhibitors on an excellent line-up of sheep and said it was a privilege to judge them.

"We landed on the South Australian ram as he is extremely correct with a very consistent type," he said.

Mr Ballinger said it was the top decision was like splitting hairs with Victorian ram Orrie Cowie 230303.

He praised the ram's length and depth of body.

The competition was made up of exhibits from each state that won at their respective shows.

Merrignee, Boorowa, was awarded NSW ram of the year earlier that day.

Orrie Cowie, Nhill, Vic, won at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo; Jolly Jumbuck Mitchell, Qld, won at the Queenslandd State Sheep Show at Blackall and Collinsville, Hallett, SA, won at the SA Northern Merino Expo at Jamestown, SA.