AN OUTSTANDING woolly ram bred from the same family as Coolawang stud's Australian record priced ram has triumphed in the Border Leicester judging at the 2019 Royal Adelaide Show.
Judge Ian Gilmore, Baringa studs, Oberon, NSW said the 116.5 kilogram ram from the James family's stud, Mundulla, epitomised the commercial traits he was looking for.
"It stands up and says have a look at me fellas have a look at me," he said.
"It is beautiful on its feet, has a magnificent head and a magnificent fleece of wool.
"If we breed Border Leicesters like this we can't go too far wrong and if we take photos of this ram we sell Border rams all day long."
Coolawang 177-17, born in August 2017, was from the same Oaks Victory family as the national record priced ram which Coolawang sold for $18,200 in 2013.
Stud co-principal Trevor James said the family was still contemplating whether to offer the ram which had a 44mm eye muscle depth and 14mm fat, as well as a Lambplan post weaning weight figure of 11.7, at their on-property sale on October 10 or retain it.
Coolawang has been at the pinnacle of ram judging at Adelaide for many years including winning champion ram at last year's feature showing but Trevor said it was tremendous this year to be given such an accolade by one of the nation's most experienced and respected judges.
"We are by no means dominating but picking through them but to have Ian recognise that our sheep deserve to be there is really special," he said.
Reserve grand champion ram went to David & Carol, Ross & Lydia Jackson, Jackson stud, Moyston, Vic, with their reserve junior champion.
Mr Gilmore said the August 2018 drop was "faultless in every way but overpowered on the day" by Coolawang's champion.
The 103.5kg ram will be one of the specially selected rams being offered at Jackson's 20th flock ram sale on October 17.
The supreme longwool exhibit from the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, Bendigo, Vic, exhibited by Will Schilling, Glenlee Park stud, Gerang Gerung, Vic continued its dream run in the ewe classes.
Just days after turning one-year-old the 101kg ewe,Glenlee Park 37-18, with an EMD of 47mm rose to the pinnacle of judging.
Mr Gilmore said it was an "easy winner".
"It has a magnificent outlook, good timber under her, carrying good muscling through the spine," he said.
"I would love to see her spine just a fraction stronger but she is a matron after all or going to be."
Twenty- four-year old Mr Schilling who is a stock agent with independent agents Driscoll McIllree Dickinson,based at Horsham, Vic, started breeding Border Leicesters about 12 years ago.
"It is just a massive passion in life and to have success like this is just wonderful,"he said.
"It all started when I was a young fella doing a bit of shearing on weekends and saved up enough to buy a few ewes and now I have my own little property with 70 to 80 ewes."
Mr Schilling plans to AI the ewe next year and may consider his first embryo transfer program to give his stud a boost with the champion ewe's genetics.
Reserve champion ewe went to the Harvey family, Paxton stud, Western Flat.
Coolawang was the most successful exhibitor for the fifth year in a row, taking out eight blue ribbons with their 21 head.
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