IN A first for the Sydney Royal Merino competition, a Poll ram has claimed the supreme exhibit title for Delegate exhibitors, Drew and Laura Chapman, West Plains Poll Merino and Hinesville Merino studs.
The calibre of the ram, West Plains Mercenary, was further enhanced the following day when it went on to win the Merino objective measurement competition.
On the way to top title, the four-tooth Mercenary collected the medium-strong wool March-shorn Poll Merino ram title, followed by grand champion Poll Merino ram, then supreme Merino ram and finally supreme Merino exhibit.
Mercenary had a 20.3 micron fleece with a 3.4 micron standard deviation (SD), 16.7 per cent co-efficient of variation (CV) and a 99.4pc comfort factor (CF).
Poll Merino judges, Geoff Davidson, Moorundie Poll Merinos, Keith, South Australia, and Bruce Dunbabin, Mayfield stud, Swansea, Tasmania, selected Mercenary ahead of grand champion rams from the superfine, fine and fine/medium Poll Merino categories based on his "excellent wool on an excellent carcase" and "great bulk of fleece".
The seven Merino judges combined to adjudicate the supreme classes, and selected Mercenary for the ram's size, structure, correctness, length of staple and purity of fleece.