Just a single point secures Perth Royal Show supreme fleece ribbon win

The King family's Rangeview Merino and Poll Merino stud, Darkan, has kicked off the show season on a high note, with one of its wool entries securing the supreme fleece sash for the 2025 Perth Royal Show.

On Monday at the Jim Horwood Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds, the Rangeview fleece was named the winner, chosen from among 105 entries submitted by both stud and commercial woolgrowers.

It was a close competition, with the Kings securing victory by a narrow margin of just a single point separating them from runners-up, the Rintoul family's Tilba Tilba stud, Williams.

The King family's fleece scored 91 out of 100 points, with figures of 9.1 kilograms greasy fleece weight, 6.9kg clean fleece weight, 75.7 per cent yield, 20.2 micron, 16.6 coefficient of variation, 1.9 standard deviation, 99.7 per cent comfort factor, 53N/kt staple strength and 112mm staple length.

Lead wool judge Tim Chapman, Dyson Jones, who was part of a six-person judging team, said the winning fleece was outstanding.

"It had great character," Mr Chapman said.

"Credential wise, it had just about everything.

"Visually, it was an outstanding fleece which showed tremendous character overall.

"Its objective measurements and its subjective measurements certainly made it the winning fleece."

Mr Chapman said the overall standard of the fleeces that were entered was excellent, with plenty of soft handling wools.

However, water staining and colouring cost other fleeces points.

The Kings entered six fleeces in the fine wool category, with the winning supreme fleece coming off a Poll Merino ram, which was the reserve champion, August shorn superfine wool Poll Merino ram at the 2025 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning.

The ram, Rangeview 314, was bred through artificial insemination by Misty Hills Dominator, and will be available at the King family's on-property sale on Friday, October 17.

Rangeview stud co-principal Jeremy King said the family was very happy to have won.

"We've had a tremendous year showing sheep and wool," Mr King said.

"For us, it has really capped off a really good year."

Rangeview stud has previously won the Perth Royal Show supreme fleece ribbon three times, and has been entering its wool on and off in the Royal Show for more than 30 years.

"For us, we look for that very long and lustrous type of wool with a very good style," Mr King said.

The number of fleece entries rose compared to the 92 submitted at last year's event, and Ken Walker, councillor for the Royal Agricultural Society wool committee, said it was good to see an increase in the number of fleeces coming in.

"It's very encouraging with the state of the industry at the moment," Mr Walker said.

"RASWA appreciates the support because it's an ideal place to showcase Western Australian wool, with over 400,000 people coming through the show.

"It would be good if we had a lot more support."

The Perth Royal Show officially kicks off this Saturday, September 27, and will end on Saturday, October 4.