A heavy-cutting, high yielding fleece shorn from the 2017 grand champion August shorn Merino ewe has given Mid North stud Greenfields its first supreme wool exhibit.
The 21.5 micron fleece scored 88.5 points from a possible 100, including top marks for clean fleece weight.
The Sullivans from Hallett, who have been entering wool for about 15 years, have had several grand champion ribbons but the top honour had eluded them until the 10.3 kilogram skirted fleece.
It was one of two ewe fleeces they entered.
“It did come as a bit of a shock – it is a hard one to win so it is very pleasing to do it,” stud principal Rob Sullivan said.
“There is a lot more interest with buoyant wool prices so it is good to show off a couple of our better fleeces.”
Elders wool sales manager David Fogg, who judged the wool with Landmark’s Trevor James, said it was an outstanding fleece with crimp definition.
“It was one of those fleeces that just jumps out at you – it was bright, white, long stapled, soft,” he said.
“In all these fleece shows weight is king and it was a very heavy fleece but also high yielding.”
The Ashby family’s North Ashrose stud, Gulnare, claimed the grand champion ram's fleece with an Imperial 141 son which had also been among the broadribbons at the 2017 Royal Show.
The 21.8M skirted fleece weighed 15.6 kilograms with a 71pc yield and scored 86.8 points.
North Ashrose was also the most successful exhibitor with its 11 fleeces winning six classes including the best three skirted Merino ewe fleeces.
Stud co-principal Matt Ashby said it was pleasing to do well but also see several of their clients from the pastoral areas enjoying success with their bloodlines
Also well in contention was another long-time exhibitor, the Koehler family, Radnor stud, Langhorne Creek.
They secured the best processing fleece with a fleece which was also a champion in the country shows section.
About one third of the fleeces have been donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service while the proceeds of another fleece will be given to the RA&HS of SA Education Foundation.