It took the Mulloorie Merino and Poll Merino stud from Brinkworth 40 years of exhibiting at the Royal Adelaide Show to win their first supreme exhibit title, but just a year later they have their second, capping off a remarkable year in the show ring.
Australian Wool Innovation chairman Jock Laurie put the broad ribbon on the Meyer family's grand champion Poll Merino ram- tag number 792- which the Meyers have called Mitch.
The 20.5 micron ram stood head and shoulders above its competition from seven other March and August shorn grand champions on the mat.
WA judge Nathan Teakle - who spoke on behalf of the judges said the ram- was a beautiful upstanding ram with top quality wool.
"If you are looking for a representation of a ram to represent this state this ram is a fine, outstanding ram," he said.
Mulloorie also had their Merino August shorn champion in contention for supreme along with Orrie Cowie stud, Warooka with the grand champion August shorn Poll Merino and Merino ewes. In the March shorns North Ashrose stud, Gulnare, had the grand champion Merino ewe and Orrie Cowie had the grand champion Poll Merino ewe and for grand champion March shorn rams it was Glendonald stud, Nhill, Vic with the Merino and Poll Boonoke, Conargo, NSW, with the Poll Merino champion.
Paul Meyer who identified the four tooth as a ram lamb said the supreme was a stand out for his overall makeup.
"He is so good on his feet, he has a great topline, so well balanced, great purity through his head and for such a big sheep he has a great wool test," he said.
Mitch's wool tests included a standard deviation of 2.7, coefficient of variation of 13.2 per cent and comfort factor of 99.6pc.
Paul said it was fantastic to win the major title in his home state after taking out the Australian Supreme Merino at Dubbo, NSW, a fortnight ago from some of the nation's best sheep.
The stud was eligible to compete at Dubbo after winning SA Ram of the Year at the Northern Merino Expo.
"After winning supreme last year it is hard to come back with another good one so to do it is really pleasing," he said.
"It makes all the work you put in worth it."
The last stud to achieve back to back supreme titles at Adelaide was Greenfields stud, Hallett in 2011 and 2012.
Both Mitch and Mulloorie's 2022 supreme- Lewy- were by the same sire, Mulloorie Elliott- the 2018 grand champion Poll Merino.
Paul's father Peter said they had hoped they would do well in Adelaide but were "not counting their chickens before they hatched".
"It has taken a lot of years of breeding to get to the top," he said.
"We have been lucky that we have had two rams do well this year, Darcy's ram Bob (champion strong wool )has also done very well where he has gone, most years you struggle to get one let alone two good rams."
Although Lewy and Mitch were by the same sire Peter said they were different types.
"Lewy is a thick, well set ram and had a little bit stronger wool whereas Mitch is such a big sheep with great feet and pasterns and a great muzzle and that very soft handling, medium wool, it is spread over such a round and robust body," Peter said.
Paul said the ram would be shorn next week and then have "his working clothes on" to breed rams for their stud. Semen will also be available for sale.
Junior champion August shorn ewe of the show went to Kevin Crook and Danni Wilson, Tamaleuca stud, Ouyen, Vic, while the junior champion full wool ewe was won by Morley stud, Cleve.
The 17.8M grandson of Gunallo 463 was the $3800 sale topper from Morley's on-property ram sale last month.
