Nerstane Merino stud, Woolbrook, NSW, won The Sandford Beggs Memorial Trophy for the most successful Merino exhibitor, with a haul of five reserve grand champion ribbons and two group awards.
Co-principal Hamish McLaren said they were thrilled to win the award for the first time.
Nerstane bought a team of 12 show sheep, including five lambs.
It won five reserve grand champion ribbons, including for the fine/medium wool ram, fine wool ram, fine wool ewe, fine/medium Poll ewe and fine/medium March shorn ewe.
Mr McLaren said winning two major group prizes was the “best part” of their show success.
Nerstane won the Lionel Weatherley Trophy for the best exhibit of five Merino sheep and the best exhibit of three Merino sheep – the latter from a line up of 15 groups.
“It means so much because as a stud, we’re striving to produce a type and do it consistently, and everyone else is too,” he said, adding their strictness on conformation and structure was paying off.
“You’re competing against the best in Bendigo.”
The two lead rams of the groups were related (one a son, the other a grandson) of N318 that won supreme at Sydney in 2011.