Three Mid North Merino studs came up trumps in judging at the 2018 Elders SA Stud Merino Expo on Tuesday at Burra.
Competition was intense with an outstanding field of entries from across the state, but it was heavy cutting sheep with bright, white wools from local studs that impressed WA-based judge Steven Bolt, Claypans stud, Corrigin, most.
The Sullivan family, Greenfields stud, Hallett, took out the champion pair and will represent SA at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic, in July.
It was their third win in four years.
Their medium wool pair edged out 16 others.
The 121-kilogram ram tested 21.6 micron with a standard deviation of 2.9, coefficient of variation of 13.7 and 99.3 per cent comfort factor.
It was a son of Greenfields 3.1, the supreme Merino exhibit at the 2015 Royal Adelaide Show.
The 21.3M ewe was sired by Greenfields Hussey – a member of the stud’s big national win in 2015.
“It is a very difficult class to win – not only do you need one good ram but you need a good ewe with a similar wool type,” Robert Sullivan said.
The biggest applause came for the Meyer family, Mulloorie stud, Brinkworth, who won the Merino Field Days Ram of the Year, after finishing second on six previous occasions.
Their strong wool Poll Merino beat 14 other entries including their Merino ram, which finished third.
Mr Bolt said the ram bred from a ram from WA stud, Mianelup, was a “standout” for its structural soundness, wool quality and balance.
“It has tremendous spring of rib, beautiful quality strong wool, which goes right underneath its belly, and a beautiful back end,” he said.
The Ashby family’s North Ashrose stud, Gulnare, took out the WSB Distributors and Yamaha Australia all-purpose pen of two ram lambs championship, which gives strong consideration to both meat and wool.
Their prize was a new Yamaha 125 AG bike.
The promising 10-month-old Poll Merinos gave North Ashrose its third win in the prestigious class, scored on objective fleece and meat figures as well as visual appraisal.
“The winning team came out with the numbers a fair way in front and visually they are a very even, well-covered, well put together group of rams,”meat judge Will Secker, Maluka stud, Keith, said.
NA 307 weighed 87 kilograms and had an eye muscle depth of 33.8 millimetres with 3.6mm fat cover.
It tested 19.7 microns and had a comfort factor of 99.8 per cent. Its 17.1M stablemate, NA 4105, weighed 96kg and had an EMD of 35.9mm and fat of 4mm.
The rams’ sires were a North Ashrose ram sold for $25,000 to the Teka stud, Argentina, and $45,000 Old Ashrose “Will.”
Mr Bolt said it was a pleasure to judge sheep of such high quality.
“In all three classes the depth was outstanding with the sheep very sound, but the wool quality with those big frames were a credit to all the breeders,” he said.
“It is the overall balance of meat and wool traits which makes the Merino the most profitable breed of sheep available.”
Merino SA president Ian Michael said it was pleasing to see “one of the best and largest lineups” in recent years and a slightly bigger crowd than 2017.
