Wickepin stud reigns supreme at Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale, Katanning

It was another big day in the show ring for the Mullan family, Eastville Park stud, Wickepin, at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning last week, when it claimed its second supreme ribbon for the year.

Claiming the thick purple supreme ribbon for the stud was its classy August shorn, medium wool Merino ram - Eastville Park Denni.

Having already collected a supreme ribbon earlier this year at the Wagin Woolorama, the pressure was on Denni to do it again and it didn't disappoint when it hit the show mat.

Even with a shed full of classy exhibits expressing the meat and wool characteristics needed in the industry today, it was Denni that made the biggest impression on the judges, with not only its quality, but its production capabilities, ensuring it went home with the supreme ribbon for a second time this year.

The win also marked the second time the Mullan family had won the top award at Katanning - the last time was in 2020 with a Poll Merino ram.

But not only did the Mullans claim the supreme title, they also exhibited the grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ram to top off an excellent day of showing for the stud.

The Expo this year saw a stream of local, interstate and international visitors flow through the shed to look at not only the Eastville Park supreme champion, but also the more than 300 Merino and Poll Merino rams and ewes on display from 33 studs.

Despite having the runs on the board at other shows this year, the upstanding Eastville Park ram didn't have it all its own way on the judging mat.

After catching the judges' eye in its opening class with its wool quality and production ability, the ram worked its way to the top position in the show to claim the prestigious purple supreme ribbon ahead of 192 show exhibits from 26 studs.

When the Eastville Park ram was announced the supreme exhibit, medium wool judge Benn Wilson, Wilgunya stud, Dirranbandi, Queensland, said it was a fantastic line-up of sheep competing for the supreme ribbon.

CHAMPIONS

• Supreme: Eastville Park stud, Wickepin
• Grand champion August shorn Merino ram: Eastville Park stud
• Reserve: Kolindale stud, Dudinin
• Grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ram: Eastville Park stud
• Reserve: Westerdale stud, McAlinden
• Grand champion March shorn Merino ram: Wililoo stud, Woodanilling
• Reserve: Wililoo stud
• Grand champion March shorn Poll Merino ram: Barloo stud, Gnowangerup
• Reserve: Navanvale stud, Williams
• Grand champion August shorn Merino ewe: Wililoo stud
• Reserve: Auburn Valley stud, Williams
• Grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ewe: Rangeview stud, Darkan
• Reserve: Westerdale stud
• Grand champion March shorn Merino ewe: Kamballie stud, Tammin
• Grand champion March shorn Poll Merino ewe: Rockdale Valley stud, Muntadgin
• Reserve: Kamballie stud
• Grand champion pair of rams: Barloo stud
• Junior champion ram: Barloo stud
• Champion ram and ewe pair: Westerdale stud
• Rabobank trophy best group of five: Rangeview stud
• Champion pair of August shorn rams: Auburn Valley stud
• Champion pair of March shorn rams: Barloo stud
• Champion August shorn superfine wool Merino ram: Rangeview stud
• Reserve: Tilba Tilba stud, Williams
• Champion August shorn superfine wool Poll Merino ram: Rangeview stud
• Reserve: Tilba Tilba stud
• Champion August shorn superfine wool Merino ewe: Tilba Tilba stud
• Reserve: Tilba Tilba stud
• Champion August shorn superfine wool Poll Merino ewe: Rangeview stud
• Champion August shorn fine wool Merino ram: Auburn Valley stud
• Champion August shorn fine wool Poll Merino ram: Rangeview stud
• Reserve: Lewisdale stud, Wickepin
• Champion August shorn fine wool Merino ewe: Rangeview stud
• Reserve: Tilba Tilba stud
• Champion August shorn fine wool Poll Merino ewe: Rangeview stud
• Reserve: Auburn Valley stud
• Champion August shorn fine-medium wool Merino ram: Wililoo stud
• Reserve: Auburn Valley stud
• Champion August shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram: Westerdale stud
• Reserve: Darijon stud
• Champion August shorn fine-medium wool Merino ewe: Wililoo stud
• Reserve: Auburn Valley stud
• Champion August shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe: Rangeview stud
• Reserve: Westerdale stud
• Champion August shorn medium wool Merino ram: Eastville Park stud
• Reserve: Kolindale stud
• Champion August shorn medium wool Poll Merino ram: Darijon stud
• Reserve: Quailerup West stud, Wickepin
• Champion August shorn medium wool Merino ewe: Rockdale Valley stud
• Reserve: Wililoo stud
• Champion August shorn medium wool Poll Merino ewe: Rockdale Valley stud
• Reserve: Kamballie stud
• Champion August shorn strong wool Merino ram: Kolindale stud
• Champion August shorn strong wool Poll Merino ram: Eastville Park stud
• Reserve: Eungai stud, Miling
• Champion August shorn strong wool Merino ewe: Rockdale Valley stud
• Champion August shorn strong wool Poll Merino ewe: Kamballie stud
• Reserve: Belmont Park stud, Wagin
• Champion March shorn superfine wool Merino ram: Tilba Tilba stud
• Reserve: Tilba Tilba stud
• Champion March shorn superfine wool Poll Merino ram: Tilba Tilba stud
• Reserve: Tilba Tilba stud
• Champion March shorn fine wool Merino ram: Tilba Tilba stud
• Champion March shorn fine wool Poll Merino ram: Tilba Tilba stud
• Reserve: Wililoo stud
• Champion March shorn fine-medium wool Merino ram: Angenup stud, Kojonup
• Reserve: Angenup stud
• Champion March shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram: Navanvale stud
• Reserve: Barloo stud
• Champion March shorn medium wool Merino ram: Wililoo stud
• Reserve: Angenup stud
• Champion March shorn medium wool Poll Merino ram: Barloo stud
• Reserve: Kolindale stud
• Champion March shorn strong wool Merino ram: Wililoo stud
• Reserve: Barloo stud
• Champion March shorn strong wool Poll Merino ram: East Mundalla stud, Tarin Rock
• Reserve: Kamballie stud
• Champion March shorn superfine/fine/fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe: Belmont Park stud
• Reserve: Kamballie stud
• Champion March shorn medium/strong wool Merino ewe: Kamballie stud
• Champion March shorn medium/strong wool Poll Merino ewe: Rockdale Valley stud
• Reserve: Kamballie stud
• Most points: Tilba Tilba stud

"In the end we went for the Eastville Park ram as he is well built and has a pretty special wool on him and there is plenty of it," Mr Wilson said.

"He has a beautiful, soft, white, well-marked wool and he carries his wool quality all the way down, wherever you look it doesn't change.

"His underline is terrific, the wool there is bright and white just like on his back.

"But it is not only the quality of wool that makes him a standout but also the quantity on him, he is going to cut a lot of wool.

"He is certainly a bale filler.

"He is pretty hard to fault and go past.

"He is a credit to the breeders."

Equally impressed with the Eastville Park ram was fine-medium wool judge Paul Hendy, Belbourie stud, Marnoo, Victoria.

He said the ram was a bale-filling machine.

"He has a good deep body and is structurally sound, but his biggest asset is his wool production as he is going to cut a lot of quality wool," Mr Hendy said.

Standing with Denni in the final line-up for the supreme ribbon were an upstanding Poll Merino ram from the Barloo stud, Gnowangerup, a well-balanced August shorn Poll Merino ram also from the Eastville Park stud, a classy August shorn Merino ewe from the Wililoo stud, Woodanilling, a special August shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe from the Rangeview stud, Darkan, as well as two young March shorn ewes - a Merino from the Kamballie stud, Tammin and a Poll Merino from the Rockdale Valley stud, Muntadgin.

Before being sashed the supreme exhibit, the Eastville Park ram, made it through the early judging to be sashed the grand champion, August shorn Merino ram.

When it received its grand champion ribbon, strong wool judge Luke Button, Manunda stud, Tammin, said it was a clear winner due to its wool production traits.

"He is a well-balanced ram that expresses great production potential," Mr Button said.

"He is nice and square, strong through the chest and has a good sirey muzzle.

"When it comes to his wool quality it is exceptional.

"He has great staple length and great character throughout his fleece.

"His wool is well-marked and very pure."

Denni's run to the top started when it was sashed the champion August shorn medium wool Merino ram in its opening class in front of three other entries and it was here that he had probably the toughest competition all day.

When judging this class, Mr Wilson said it was the toughest class he had done all day and he had real trouble separating the rams in it as they all had great qualities.

The four-tooth, AI-bred ram is by Quailerup West Champ and in the ring it carried wool figures of 20.6 micron, 3.5 SD, 16.7 CV and 99.2 per cent comfort factor.

Denni is no stranger to receiving broad ribbons in the show ring, along with being sashed the supreme exhibit at the Wagin Woolorama, it was also sashed the champion ram of show and grand champion Merino ram at the Williams Gateway Expo and the reserve champion August shorn medium wool Merino ram at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo, Victoria, last month.

August shorn

In the August shorn classes, it was the Mullan family's Eastville Park stud which dominated, taking home two of the four grand champion ribbons up for grabs.

In the Merino section, the grand champion August ram ribbon went to the Eastville Park stud, as previously mentioned, while in the ewes it was the Wise family's Wililoo stud, Woodanilling, that claimed the grand champion sash.

As previously mentioned the Eastville Park stud, exhibited the grand champion August shorn Merino ram which went on to be the supreme exhibit of the show.

Standing in reserve to the upstanding Eastville Park sire and being sashed the reserve grand champion August shorn Merino ram, was a classy medium wool exhibit from the Ledwith family's Kolindale stud, Dudinin.

When the Kolindale ram received its reserve grand champion ribbon, Mr Button said the ram displayed awesome production traits.

"He is thick boned and has a heavy carcase," Mr Button said.

"He also has really nice, white long-stapled, well-crimped wool."

Before being sashed the reserve grand champion August shorn Merino ram behind the Eastville Park sire, the Kolindale ram also had to settle for second place behind it in its initial class for August shorn medium wool Merino rams where it was sashed the reserve champion August shorn medium wool Merino ram.

At this point Mr Wilson said the Kolindale ram was a very productive wool cutter but it just didn't quite have the finish of the champion.

"He has an extremely big barrel and he is going to cut a lot of good quality medium wool," he said.

The four-tooth ram is by Collinsville Duke 332, which Kolindale purchased for $48,000 in 2022 from the Collinsville stud, on-property sale in South Australia.

In the ring the ram carried wool figures of 21.8 micron, 3.3 SD, 15.3 CV and 98.2pc CF.

In the Merino ewes it was a fine-medium wool ewe from the Wise family's Wililoo stud, which stood in the top position and was sashed the grand champion August shorn Merino ewe.

Mr Hendy said the Wililoo ewe stood up really well and carried a quality fine-medium wool.

"She is very correct and has good width and length of body," he said.

"She is also very pure and covered in a white, well-nourished and well-crimped wool."

Also singing the praises of the Wililoo ewe was Mr Button who described it as a structurally very sound ewe with a great fleece all over.

"She has a really white wool which had great character in the crimp and also a pure muzzle," he said.

The ewe, which is based on Wililoo bloodlines, has wool figures of 19.3 micron, 2.5 SD, 12.8 CV and 99.8pc CF.

Prior to being sashed the grand champion August shorn Merino ewe, the Wililoo ewe was sashed the champion August shorn fine-medium wool Merino ewe in its opening class.

Receiving the reserve grand champion August shorn Merino ewe ribbon was also a fine-medium wool ewe from the Rintoul family's Auburn Valley stud, Williams, which also collected the reserve champion August shorn fine-medium wool ribbon behind the Wililoo ewe in their opening class.

Mr Hendy said the Auburn Valley ewe, was a good ewe with good make and shape.

"She carries a white long-stapled wool and shows good wool cutting ability, but she just didn't quite have the style in the wool as the champion to get her over the line," he said.

Also praising the Auburn Valley ewe when it received its reserve grand champion ribbon was Mr Button.

He said it was a highly productive ewe, which was well-covered and structurally safe.

The four-tooth ewe is a daughter of Wililoo Buster 469, which was purchased by the Rintouls for $14,250 at the 2021 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning and out of a ewe carrying Angenup bloodlines.

The ewe has wool figures of 20 micron, 3.1 SD, 15.6 CV and 98.9pc CF.

When it came to the grand champion August shorn ribbons for the Poll Merinos, it was the Eastville Park stud which came out on top in the ram section, while in the ewes it was the King family's Rangeview stud that stood at the top of the line-up.

Claiming the grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ram ribbon for the Eastville Park stud was a strong wool sire which caught the eye for its wool quality, size and structural correctness.

When the ram was announced the grand champion, Mr Button said it stood up really well and carried a bright white wool.

Equally impressed with the Eastville Park ram was Mr Wilson when he saw it in the grand champion line-up

He said it was a unanimous winner.

"He is well-built, with a beautiful barrel and chest and he also carries a really beautiful, rich white wool all over," Mr Wilson said.

"His wool quality doesn't vary wherever you look and he shows no colour in his wool down in his points."

Prior to being judged the grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ram, the Eastville Park ram, was sashed the champion August shorn strong wool Poll Merino ram in its opening class ahead of six other sires.

At this stage Mr Button said the ram was structurally very good, with good bone and a long-stapled, well-nourished wool which showed great character.

The four-tooth ram is no stranger to attention as it was sashed the junior champion ram at the 2024 Perth Royal Show, while this year it was sashed the grand champion Poll Merino ram at the Wagin Woolorama and Williams Gateway Expo and then at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, where it was sold for an Eastville Park stud record $30,000 to the Seymour Park stud, Highbury and Wililoo stud, in partnership.

The ram is an ET-bred son of Collinsville 521 and out of an Eastville Park Imperial 81 ewe.

It carried wool figures of 21.1 micron, 3.3 SD, 15.7 CV and 99.2pc CF.

Standing in reserve to the Eastville Park sire and collecting the reserve grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ram ribbon was a fine-medium wool ram from the Jackson family's Westerdale stud, McAlinden.

Mr Wilson said the Westerdale ram carried a beautiful waxy wool which handled very well.

"For his wool type he carries a lot of wool but in the end he just didn't have the carcase traits of the champion," he said.

Prior to competing in the grand champion line-up, the Westerdale sire placed first in its opening class in front of eight other rams and was sashed the champion August shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram.

When it received this initial champion ribbon, Mr Hendy said it was a very tall and correct ram with a great wool.

"It is well-covered in a white, bright, nourished wool which has a well-defined crimp," he said.

"He has everything you want in his wool."

The ram, which has wool figures of 18.5 micron, 3.1 SD, 16.6 CV and 99.8pc CF, is no stranger to broad ribbons.

At the Australian Sheep & Wool Show it was sashed the reserve champion August shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram.

It is by Westerdale 395 which sold for $41,000 to the Warralea stud, Gairdner, at the 2023 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale.

In the Poll Merino ewes it was a fine-medium wool ewe named Bounty from the Rangeview stud which claimed top honours and was sashed the grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ewe.

When Bounty received its grand champion sash superfine and fine wool, judge Darren Chapman, Beaufort Vale stud, Boyup Brook, said it was an impressive ewe.

"She is structurally very good and is well-covered in an impressive white, bright wool," Mr Chapman said.

"She is very hard to fault."

The Rangeview ewe earned its right to compete for the grand champion ribbon when it won its opening class and was sashed the champion August shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe ahead of five other ewes.

At this point Mr Hendy said the ewe had a great frame and was structurally very correct.

"She has plenty of wool packed on her, but it is not just wool, it is quality wool," he said.

"Her wool is impressive - it is white, bright, stylish and soft handling.

"She is an outstanding ewe and a credit to the breeders."

This year at the Wagin Woolorama, Bounty was sashed champion fine wool Poll Merino ewe, at the Williams Gateway Expo it was sashed the supreme exhibit, champion ewe of show and grand champion Poll Merino ewe.

Then at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show it was crowned the champion ewe of show after being sashed the grand champion August shorn ewe, grand champion August shorn fine-medium wool ewe and champion August shorn fine-medium wool ewe.

The four-tooth ewe is by Rangeview 179, which is an ET-bred, half brother to Rangeview Lawry, which was sashed the supreme exhibit at the 2023 Wagin Woolorama and Williams Gateway Expo.

The ewe has wool figures of 18.3 micron, 2.7 SD, 14.9 CV and 99.9pc CF.

The reserve grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ewe ribbon went to a ewe from the Westerdale stud.

Mr Hendy said the Westerdale ewe showed good production ability and stood up very well.

"She has a good frame and size and carries very good fine-medium wool but she just didn't have as much density in her wool as the champion," he said.

The four-tooth ewe is by Westerdale 395 and carried wool figures of 20.0 micron, 2.4 SD, 12.1 CV and 99.7pc CF.

The Westerdale ewe earned the right to compete for the reserve grand champion ribbon after finishing second in its opening class and collecting the reserve champion August shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe ribbon behind Rangeview's champion ewe.

The champion ribbon for a pair of August shorn rams was awarded to a pair of Merinos from the Auburn Valley stud, Williams.

Class judge Kaiden Johnston, Merna stud, Quairading, said the Auburn Valley pair were very uniform and even.

"They both have nice bright, white wools and show good size and structure," Mr Johnston said.

The pair consisted of the stud's reserve champion August shorn fine-medium wool ram and champion August shorn fine wool Merino ram which both carry Wililoo bloodlines.

Second in the class went to a pair of Poll Merinos exhibited by the Lewisdale stud, Wickepin.

The Westerdale stud collected another ribbon when it exhibited the champion ram and ewe pair, in front of five other teams.

Associate judge Tom Bolt, Wogerlin stud, Corrigin, said the Westerdale pair matched very well.

"They both structurally sound and carry nice, bright, white wools," Mr Bolt said.

The pair contained the stud's reserve grand champion August shorn Poll Merino ram and ewe exhibits, which were both by Westerdale 395.

Second in the class was an August shorn pair of Merinos from Wililoo, while third went to a pair of March shorn Poll Merinos from the Coromandel stud, Gairdner.

March shorn

There was good competition in the March shorn classes again this year, with more than 100 being appraised by the judges.

Taking home the most prestigious ribbon in this section, the junior champion ram title and breaking the three year winning streak of the Angenup stud, Kojonup, was the House family's Barloo stud, Gnowangerup.

Claiming the junior champion ram ribbon for Barloo was an upstanding Poll Merino ram, which had earlier been sashed the grand champion March shorn Poll Merino ram.

When it received the junior champion ribbon, Mr Chapman said it was an outstanding, young sire.

"He is a very sound ram, which has a great topline and carries plenty of meat," Mr Chapman said.

"In addition to his excellent carcase traits he also has a very good, stylish wool all over, which makes him the all round package."

Before winning the junior champion ribbon, the Barloo ram was sashed the grand champion March shorn Poll Merino ram and at this point Mr Wilson said the Barloo ram stood among a great line-up of rams, but in the end they went for it as their grand champion as it was just that little bit more impressive.

"He is an exceptional young sire with great carcase and wool attributes," Mr Wilson said.

"He is well-built with a great spring of rib and length of body and then he has a bright, white wool with good deep crimp all over.

"He is a top ram and very hard to fault."

The Barloo ram earned its right to compete in the grand championship line-up after it won its opening class and the biggest class on the day, where it was sashed the champion March shorn medium wool Poll Merino ram ahead of 31 other sires.

When judging this class Mr Wilson said the Barloo ram was a standout and picked itself.

"He has great carcase traits, a very soft white wool and a good sirey head," he said.

"He has real stud sire potential."

The ET-bred ram is by Willemenup Spartacus 30 sire and out of a Wallaloo Park 422 blood ewe.

It has wool figures of 21.3 micron, 3.1 SD, 14.6 CV, 99.2pc CF.

The no ram is no stranger to tasting success - in the show ring at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show last month it was sashed the reserve grand champion March shorn medium wool ram and reserve champion March shorn medium wool Poll Merino ram.

Standing reserve to the Barloo sire and being sashed the reserve grand champion March shorn Poll Merino ram, was a ram from the Hogg family's Navanvale stud, Williams.

Mr Button said the Navanvale ram, which was still carrying its lambs' teeth, showed good size for its age and carried a beautiful wool.

Prior to being sashed the reserve grand champion March shorn Poll Merino, the Navanvale ram was sashed the champion March shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram when it won its opening class ahead of 19 other rams.

At this point Mr Hendy said the ram was a big, long sire, with good bone.

"He has good presence, a pure soft muzzle and a very good, soft, white wool," he said.

The ram is by Navanvale 179, which is an ET-bred son of Glenlea Park 881.

In the ring, the Navanvale ram carried wool figures of 18.5 micron, 2.3 SD, 12.4 CV and 99.8pc CF.

In the March shorn Poll Merino ewe classes it was the Maher family's Rockdale Valley stud, Muntadgin, which took top honours and went home with the grand champion March shorn Poll Merino ewe ribbon.

Collecting the ribbon for the stud was an ET-bred two-tooth ewe by Collinsville Emperor 53.

Mr Button said the ewe had a very good structure, stood up square and carried a bold, white crimping wool.

"She is a well-balanced ewe with a very good fleece," he said

The ewe was also sashed the champion March shorn medium/strong wool Poll Merino ewe.

In the ring the ewe carried wool figures of 19.2 micron, 2.6 SD, 13.7 CV and 99.8pc CF.

The reserve grand champion March shorn Pol Merino ewe was exhibited by the Mackin and Maher families, Kamballie stud, Tammin.

Mr Button said the Kamballie ewe had a very good long-stapled white wool and it carried its wool quality from head to toe.

The two-tooth ewe, which was also sashed the reserve champion March shorn medium/strong wool Poll Merino ewe, is by Glenlea Park Crippa.

It has wool figures of 20.1 micron, 3.2 SD, 15.7 CV and 99.5pc CF.

Leading the way in the March shorn Merino ram classes was the Wililoo stud, which exhibited both the grand and reserve grand champion March shorn Merino rams.

Taking home the grand champion March shorn Merino ram ribbon for Wililoo was an upstanding young medium wool ram which was still carrying its lambs teeth.

When the young ram received its grand champion ribbon, Mr Hendy said it was a very well-covered sire, which stood up very correctly.

"He has a good deep body and a good topline," he said.

"He also carries a soft, rich wool and there is plenty of it."

Prior to being sashed the grand champion, the Wililoo ram was sashed the champion March shorn medium wool Merino ram in its opening class in front of six other rams.

At this point Mr Wilson said the ram was well-grown and structurally very sound.

"He also has a nice, white, bright wool all over which catches the eye," he said.

In the ring, the ram carried wool figures of 20.5 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.0 CV and 99.4pc CF.

Collecting the reserve grand champion March shorn Merino ram ribbon for Wililoo was a two-tooth ram.

When it received the reserve grand champion ribbon, Mr Hendy said it stood up very well and carried a long-stapled, good rich strong wool.

The ram was in the grand champion line-up after it was sashed the champion March shorn strong wool Merino ram in its opening class ahead of six other sires.

At this point Mr Button described the ram as a very productive type.

"He has rich, well-nourished wool all over and is a very heavy cutting type," he said.

"He is also very well-structured."

The ram has wool figures of 21.5 micron, 3.1 SD, 14.5 CV and 99.0pc CF.

Both the Wililoo rams are AI-bred sons of Angenup 100, which was the supreme exhibit at the 2023 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale.

The grand champion March shorn Merino ewe was exhibited by the Kamballie stud.

Mr Button said the ewe, which was still carrying its lambs' teeth, expressed very good wool quality from head to toe and there is plenty of it.

"She is also well-structured and has a very good purity," he said.

The ewe, which carried wool figures of 20.3 micron, 3.2 SD, 15.9 CV and 99.7pc CF, was also sashed the champion March shorn medium/strong wool Merino ewe.

It is an AI-bred daughter of Collinsville Buddy 23-9.

The ewe was sashed the champion ewe lamb at this year's Wagin Woolorama.

The grand champion ribbon for a pair of rams was awarded to a pair of Poll Merinos from the Barloo stud, which had earlier been sashed the champion March shorn pair of rams ahead of nine other pairs.

Judge Kurt Spurgeon, Kondinin, couldn't fault the Barloo pair.

"They are the modern day Merino with both excellent carcase and wool traits," Mr Spurgeon said.

"They are both big powerful rams which are structurally correct and they also have plenty of good wool on them.

"They are a very uniform pair and a credit to the breeder.

"They picked themselves."

The Barloo pair included the stud's junior champion ram.