A massive medium wool from Mulloorie stud, Brinkworth, which a fortnight ago was the first SA bred ram to win the Australian Merino Supreme title at Dubbo, NSW, in 20 years has continued its winning ways.
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There was some family rivalry in the Adelaide Show judging ring with father and son, Paul and Darcy Meyer holding the two sons of Mulloorie Elliott in the final line-up for grand champion August shorn Poll Merino, but the judges gave the broad ribbon to the medium wool-tag 792- ahead of the strong wool in reserve.
WA judge Nathan Teakle, Walkindyer stud, Northampton said the 20.5 micron ram known as Mulloorie Mitch "picked himself".
"He is a beautiful upstanding ram, pure from behind the head right through to the rump and stands square behind while the reserve is very deep in the body and beautiful sirey wool was a close second," he said.
Paul said they had already sold semen in 792.
Their champion strong wool ram was also typical of what they were trying to breed, he said.
"He has that gutsy strong wool on him that tests well, that is a go anywhere wool that looks after itself in the pastoral country and in the inside country," Paul said.
Mulloorie's strong wool champion - named Bob-which came through from the four tooth class was 20.9 micron, 3.1SD, 15pc CV and 99.4CF.
His impressive ribbon haul included grand champion strong wool at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic, in July and supreme exhibit at the Dubbo Merino Show & Sale last month.
It is the second year in a row that Mulloorie has taken out the top accolade but the first time in a decade they have achieved both grand champion and reserve grand champion Poll Merino rams in the long wools.
Their last were Mulloorie Kenny and Mulloorie Wally which both bred well.
The other contender for grand champion ram was the fine wool champion from Ashby Ag's North Ashrose stud, Gulnare.
The ram which is being retained by the stud is from the North Ashrose's PG family.
"He didn't have a lot of competition but he would have taken some beating if he did, he is a great wool, great carcase and stands beautifully on his feet but the do ability is the easily his best feature," judge Jeremy King, Rangeview stud, Darkan, WA.
John and Heather Dalla, Orrie Cowie stud, Warooka, made a triumphant return to showing full wool ewes for the first time since 2017, coming away with grand champion.
The fine wool daughter of Orrie Cowie Casper- a ram sold to the Ashrose stud.
"I got excited and put a few ewes in the shed earlier this year," John said.
"It has been a long time since we have done it so we thought we would see how we went, we got grand champion Merino and Poll Merino ewe so it is a good start to the day."
Judge Gary Kopp, Towonga stud, Peak Hill, NSW, said it was a tight decision between their fine wool and the medium wool champion from George and Sophie Millington's Collinsville stud, Hallett.
"The Orrie Cowie ewe is not the biggest ewe out there but she carries her weight well with a good barrelled frame and at the end of the day her wool quality got her over the line," he said.
The strong wool champion ewe was from the East Bungaree stud, Hallett and impressed Mr Kopp with her "weight, shape and balance".
