Conrayn stud, Berridale, won the grand champion Merino ram of the show ribbon when its grand champion ultrafine wool ram got the nod narrowly in front of East Mundalla’s grand champion strong wool ram.
The four-tooth, August-shorn ram was by Merryville Big Brilliant and out of one of the stud’s own ewes.
The 22 month-old ram won junior championships in Sydney, Canberra and local shows as a two-tooth, short-wool ram.
Principal Peter Lette said they planned to retain the ram in the stud, despite having a lot of inquiry, and would sell semen.
He said for an ultrafine ram, its sheer scale was eye-catching.
“He was well covered with soft-handling wool and was one of the top sheep we had ever bred,” he said.
On the grand champion mat, it also beat entries from Montrose Hill, Langdene, Oakbank and Poll Boonoke.
Mr Lette said it was the first time Conrayn had won grand champion ram of the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. They had a team of 12 including two sale rams.
Ultrafine judge Phil Carlon, Queenlee stud, Uralla, said the ram had tremendous softness and terrific quality all over.
“He really has great finish,” Mr Carlon said.
The upstanding Merino sire displayed wool figures of 16.3-micron, 2.1 standard deviation (SD) and 100 per cent comfort factor (CF).
Just edging out Conrayn for the supreme Merino ASWS exhibit was the Walton family, Wurrook Merino stud, Rokewood, Vic, with a fine wool ewe. This is the second consecutive year that Wurrook have taken home the top gong.
The winning fine wool ewe was sired by another Merryville ram, Merryville Hamilton Giant, who also sired the Wurrook ram that won last year’s supreme exhibit and other champions of recent years.
The ewe, which impressed the judges and crowd with its combination wool quality and quantity on a large, structurally correct frame, was named supreme of the 836 Merino and Poll Merino entries. It automatically won Victorian-bred ewe of the show.
The Wurrook stud bought a team of 12 sheep, and also won grand champion ultrafine Merino ewe.