Wonga Pastoral enjoy supreme success with "magnificent" wool clip |PHOTOS

A magnificent pastoral wool clip from Wonga Pastoral Company, Morgan, which was grown on just four inches of rain has claimed Elders SA Supreme Clip of the Year for the 2021/22 season.

From nearly 1200 SA clips offered in Elders' auction catalogue in Melbourne, Vic, in the past financial year the Lindner family received the accolade at a function at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide last week.

The 146 bale clip sold in the final sale of the season-Melbourne 51- scored 92.4 out of a possible 100 points excelling for its style, bloom and evenness and standing out on the showfloor to the buyers.

It also had outstanding test results with a coefficient of variation of 13.3 per cent for evenness of length, an average tensile staple strength of 40.2 Newtons per kilotex and a 39pc mid break point.

Three generations of the Lindner family have been selling wool with Elders under the JWL/Wonga brand for nearly a century.

John and Ronda Lindner and their sons David and Will and daughter-in-law Michelle attended to receive the supreme clip certificate and special bronze ram.

John said the family was extremely proud to have achieved a long-held objective "to come out on top" after receiving Clip of the Month on at least 10 occasions.

"It was something we had only dared to dream about, we have done fairly well with our sheep and have always aimed to breed the best," he said.

David said it was "quite a surprise" especially with a run of such tough seasons.

He said they had been sourcing top Merino rams for more than 30 years from Eyre Peninsula stud, White River to breed rams for their commercial flock.

"They (The White River rams) are extremely soft (in the wool), they really suit our country," he said.

"We don't aim for exceptionally heavy cutters because they can create management issues but they still cut plenty of wool and it is nice, white bright medium wool.

"Their constitution is really great too, we know they are going to come into the shed."

Despite their long-term average rainfall being 225mm David said in the last five years they had two seasons with just 100mm and following year only had 50mm.

In November last year they had a "good rain" but the country didn't respond due to the lack of follow up rain.

These below average years had proven a self-replacing Merino flock was their best option

"We had two years in the drought where we didn't have a lamb so if we were only running meat sheep we would of got nothing whereas wool, it may not always be the best, but you always get something," he said.

Wonga's clip was classed by Stephen Riley from Robertstown for the third year in a row.

Elders district wool manager Roger Daniell was not surprised the Lindners were awarded the supreme clip, remembering the wool being "magnificent" as it came across the table.

He also praised their professionalism as woolgrowers.

"As a wool traveller sometimes you go to a shed and you walk in and it feels like you have walked in on an argument but you go to that shed and everyone is happy," he said.

"They look after their shearers and they are so proud of their product too."

Elders state wool manager Lachie Brown said it was extremely important to recognise those woolgrowers breeding even type, stylish wools.

"The industry now is at a point where we have shrunk but that has also refocused the attention on quality," he said.

"In selling wool in Melbourne it is blatantly obvious that buyers are starting to recognise brands as much as anything, if they see a good clip they will comment that is a "cracking clip".

Mr Brown said the outlook for wool was solid for the next couple of years at least baring any "black swan" events.

"We are finally seeing some good solid demand return across the board, COVID affected the market like nothing we have seen before from a demand perspective and it has taken a long time for the confidence to return to retail and then back down the pipeline to greasy levels," he said.

Each of the monthly winners received a scarf from Adelaide knitwear company Silver Fleece.

Tintinara classer Mick Lawless received a special mention classing three of the 12 monthly winners - the first time this has occurred since the awards commenced in 1991.