Glendonald, North Ashrose forces to be reckoned with in March shorn judging

North Ashrose, Gulnare, took out the grand champion ewe broad ribbon in the March-shorn Merino judging while Victorian stud Glendonald walked away with the ram equivalent.

North Ashrose's grand champion was also the champion fine wool ewe.

Principal Tom Ashby said the 1 year 4 month old ewe had never been shown before.

It had been sired by Banaive 225.

Mr Ashby said the ewe would be retained in the Mid North stud.

"We'll get a natural lamb out of the ewe, then it'll go into our AI/embryo program after that," he said.

Mr Ashby said the grand champion win was a great result.

"It's always good to get a grand champion, whether it's a ewe or a ram," he said.

"It's good to be recognised by the industry as having a sheep that is in the top end of the showing system."

The ewe's wool tests included 18.8 micron, 2.6 standard deviation, 13.9 coefficient of variation and 99.9 per cent comfort factor.

International judge Juan-Manuel Gonzalez, of the San Antonio stud in Uruguay, was full of praise for North Ashrose's grand champion ewe.

"It's a really true fine wool sheep and really good ewe," he said.

"It's got great structure and full body cover with beautiful wool."

North Ashrose also won champion fine wool ram, with an exhibit that had 20.5M wool with 3.0 SD, 13.8pc CV and 99.1pc CF.

The team from the Glendonald and Orrie Cowie studs in Nhill, Victoria, also had an outstanding showing, winning grand champion ram with their strong wool champion.

Their grand champion ram had 19.0M fleece with 4.0 SD, 21.1pc CV and 99.1pc CF.

Judge Tom Kirk, Bundemar, NSW, said the grand champion was a tremendously true to type strong wool ram.

"It's got cracking good wool," he said.

"It's a big, upstanding, tremendous sheep that's very deserving of the ribbon."

The team also won reserve strong wool ram, champion and reserve medium wool ram and champion strong and medium wool ewe.

"We've had a terrific year this year," stud master John Dalla said.

"Genetics can only do so much, and feed can only do so much, but when you put together good genetics and good management, that's when you get your best performing sheep."

MARCH SHORN MERINOS

Judges: Juan-Manuel Gonzalez, San Antonio stud, Uruguay (fine wool), Tom Kirk, Bundemar, NSW (medium and strong wool), associate judge Kasey Mullighan, Andrews

Entries: 28

Exhibitors: 10

Grand champion March shorn Merino ram and champion strong wool ram: Glendonald stud, Nhill, Victoria

Reserve strong wool champion: Glendonald

Champion medium wool ram: Orrie Cowie, Nhill, Victoria

Reserve: Glendonald

Champion fine wool ram: North Ashrose, Gulnare

Grand champion and champion fine wool ewe: North Ashrose

Champion strong wool ewe: Glendonald

Reserve: North Ashrose

Champion medium wool ewe: Glendonald

Reserve: Mulloorie, Brinkworth