Mertex's interbreed pen of three rams show consistency of type
Vic Wimmera White Suffolk stud Mertex maintained their stronghold on the prestigious Champion Interbreed Pen of Three Rams judging, winning it for the third time in four years.
Stud principals Basil, Heather and Tim Jorgensen received a $1800 voucher from Nutrien and Gallagher after the under 1.5-year-old rams were given the nod from the seven judges.
Tim said they rated the class highly as it showed the consistency of their sheep and breeding program.
"To do it over consecutive years means a lot to us, and this year the same rams that won here also won at Sheepvention a couple of weeks ago," he said.
The trio comprised the reserve senior champion ram, which was also supreme short wool ram at Hamilton Sheepvention and supreme sheep exhibit at Dubbo Show back in May - along with the pair of senior rams.
Tim said they had high hopes for the reserve senior champion in their stud, but would also market semen.
The ram was sired by Mertex 505 which sold two years ago at the Bendigo Elite Show & Sale for $14,500 and out of a 2022-drop show ewe.
The other two rams will be offered in the stud's annual on-property sale on Thursday, September 25.
"605 and 585 are by the same sire and from a ram that was in the pen of three that won here in 2023," Tim said.
The evening judging, which was the prelude to the Combined Sheep breeders Social Function, saw the Mertex team finish ahead of the trio from Glenlee Park Border Leicester stud, Gerang Gerung, Vic.
Stud principal Will Schilling's team included the grand champion Border Leicester ram - which went on to be the champion long wool ram - and the winners of the pair of woolly rams class.
The trio were all sired by semen at least 15 years of age, which Mr Schilling and a fellow stud beeder bought from the Wellingrove stud, Glen Innes, NSW, a couple of years ago.
"One will be offered in the Elite Bendigo Show & Sale in two weeks and the other one will probably be lot one in my on-property sale," he said.
"Whether you are a potential stud purchaser or a potential commercial purchaser it is always good to see breeders' consistency.
"A lot of people can breed one or two good sheep but can they breed a mob full of them?"
Third place was the team of Poll Dorsets exhibited by Lachie and Sophie Kelly, Ivadene stud, Hexham, Vic.
The other pens of three rams representing their breeds on the mat were Mertex's Texels, a trio from Peter and Julie Button, Ramsay Park Hampshire Down stud, Minlaton, who were exhibiting at Adelaide for the last time, and Wattle Glen Corriedales, Strathalbyn, from Di and Graham Jenke.
