THE McLeod family had a successful wool showing in Wentworth, NSW, at the weekend, taking home grand champion and most valuable commercial fleece.
Ormond McLeod, Kelso, via Wentworth, said it was the station’s best year entering the Wentworth Show wool competition, first entering in 1969, and thanked his local wool classer Col Howard.
The entries were from Warrananga-blood ewes, shorn in May.
The grand champion fleece was a commercial fine wool weighing 8.4 kilograms, which scored 89.6 points from 100 and was valued at $83.68, while the most valuable fleece among the commercial breeders weighed 9.5kg, scored 82.8 points from a possible 100 and was valued at $89.23.
The Pollard family, Warrananga Merino stud, via Wentworth, NSW, won most attractive fleece with their reserve medium wool entry, which weighed 8.4kg and scored 85.8 points out of 100.
They also won champion strong wool, which weighed 9.9kg, scored 87.3 points out of 100 and was valued at $97.68, and reserve strong wool champion.
Paul and Chris McPherson, Allanvale Station, Wentworth, won champion lambs wool from a five-month-old shorn last week, and champion commercial medium wool and open medium wool with an entry weighing 8kg, scoring 87.2 out of 100 and valued at $83.93.
The Allanvale flock has been based on Ridgway Advance bloodlines the past eight years.
In the sheep judging, Tamaleuca stud, Ouyen, won supreme exhibit with a 6-tooth medium wool two-year-old poll ram.
The 158kg ram, by a Willandra sire, had a 19.6-micron fleece measuring 3.2 standard deviation and 99.6 per cent comfort factor.
Tamaleuca also won grand champion ewe with a half-sister to the supreme exhibit, and champion March-shorn ram. Tamaleuca stud principal Kevin Crook said the champions would be retained in the stud.
In the sheep dog trials, Stephen Geraghty, Aberfoyle Park, won the open section with Sommerville Clyde; Rex Hocking, Avenue Range, won the improver section with Washpool Lcee; while Kevin Howell, Eugowra, NSW, won the novice section with Karana Jed.
While in the yard dog competition, Mr Howell won the open section with Karana Abba, Mr Hocking won novice with Washpool Lcee, while Greg Walton, Eugowra, won improver with Karana Max.