After a 10-year hiatus Robert Harding of Glendonald Merino stud Nhill Victoria has returned to the Royal Adelaide Merino ring with broad ribbon success.
The Victorian stud won both the grand champion and reserve grand champion March shorn ram ribbons, both with two-tooth entries.
The grand champion March shorn ribbon was draped over a 19.2-micron strong wool ram entry stemming from the under 1.5 years class.
The reserve went to the stud's medium wool ram, also in the under 1.5 years class.
Strong wool judge Warwick Kopp of Towalba Merino stud, Peak Hill, NSW, said the grand champion was a gutsy ram with a strong, broad muzzle and beautiful lock.
"Being a two-tooth ram he was extremely mature for his age," Mr Kopp said.
"He had a heavy cutting bright white strong wool which was true to type.
"If I was going to use a ram from here at my stud, I would use him."
By Glendonald 829, the May 21-drop tagged 1.63, had complimentary fleece measurements of 3.7 standard deviation, 19.3pc coefficient of variation and 99.1comfort factor.
Glendonald's reserve grand champ ram, also a May 2021-drop, had fleece measurements of 20.8-micron, 3.5 SD, 16.8pc CV and 99 CF.
Medium wool judge Nigel Brumpton, Mt Ascot stud, Mitchell, Qld, said the reserve ram had a terrific make and shape with a very white, bright medium wool.
"The strong wool just stood prouder, looser skinner in the muzzle, that's why he came out on top," Mr Brumpton said.
By Glendonald 868, the medium wool ram had previously been awarded the Victorian hogget of the year in August at Marnoo, but had not previously had the chance to compete against his strong wool pen mate.
For Mr Harding, it was a welcome return to the Adelaide Royal after an absence of close to a decade.
"I came back for the centenary. In the 100 years the Royal Adelaide has been running, I have shown 26 times with a lot of success with both the show and the sale," Mr Harding said.
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In the March shorn ewe section the Meyer family of Mulloorie stud Brinkworth and Tintinara, dominated, snagging both the grand and reserve grand titles.
This time the wool types were flipped with the medium wool pipping the strong wool entry.
Both came from their respective under 1.5 years classes.
The grand champion ewe, Mulloorie 349, was AI bred and by a Woodyarrup ram.
She was described by Mr Brumpton as having a very good make and shape.
"She was very feminine in the muzzle, with a white bright, crimpy, well-nourished medium wool, but also a very productive ewe," Mr Brumpton said.
"The strong wool was another good sheep in her class, but when she came up against the medium wool, she was definitely outclassed."
The 19.9-micron wool ewe also carried fleece measurements of 3.3 SD, 16.6pc CV and 99.3 CF.
Paul Meyer, co-principal of Mulloorie stud said the grand champion ewe's balance, correctness and productive skin got her over the line.
The reserve grand champion ewe, Mulloorie 6, was by a ram from the East Bungaree family at Mulloorie.
"She is a well structured ewe, stands incredibly square and is very pure in the face," Mr Meyer said.
He said both ewes will be retained by the stud, with the intention to join them naturally with the option of entering the stud's AI program further down the track.
Champion March shorn fine wool Merino ram went to North Ashrose, Gulnare with reserve to Hilton Heath, Sanderston.
