Victoria Downs Acorn is Queensland Ewe of the Year

It’s usually quoted that “mighty oaks from little acorns grow” and in the case of the Merino stud, the purchase has grown it success in the form of Queensland Ewe of the Year, Queensland Pair and Merino Breeder’s Group ribbons at the state sheep show at Longreach.

In honour of the wins racked up by the junior champion medium wool Merino ewe, also sashed as grand champion Merino ewe, the stud has named her Acorn.

Judge Duncan Ferguson described her as having an “absolutely magnificent outlook, from her pure nose to her massive hindquarter” while stud principal Will Roberts said it was hard to find fault with her.

“You won’t find many as good in Australia at the moment,” he said, a statement he’ll have a chance to test at the national finals in Bendigo later in the year.

According to Will, her sire was the best medium wool ram in Australia in 2013 when he was purchased, having won at Dubbo, Sydney and Adelaide shows, and taking the reserve ribbon at Bendigo.

“It’s all a bit of luck when it comes together,” he said.

The stud had originally intended pairing the ewe with her half-brother for the prestigious Queensland Pairs competition but after judging comments, chose a ram bred in the stud’s syndicate at Morven instead.

Judge Andy McLean, who had travelled up from his management position at Haddon Rig, said the winning couple were very even and true to their medium wool type.

Mt Ascot Merino stud and Jolly Jumbuck poll Merino stud were second and third in the pairs judging, while Victoria Downs Acorn was lined up beside Roselea’s champion junior champion poll ewe for the Ewe of the Year judging.

Mr Roberts said the stud’s focus was to breed “as heavy-cutting a sheep as we can”, saying that producers faced with ever-increasing costs would fall behind unless they could grow more wool.

“Micron hasn’t been our focus, it never has. As we increase quality, overall micron has come down.”

As testament to that, Victoria Downs last year shore 400 less sheep than the previous year but cut the same amount of wool.

Winning the Breeder’s Group championship was as welcome a trophy as any of the others for Mr Roberts, who said it was once considered the epitome of the awards on offer.

“It’s not easy to breed one good ram let alone three, and ewes as well,” he said. “It shows depth across the board and I was very happy with that win.”