MAIDEN ewes of Belswick blood have taken major awards for the third consecutive year for David Stuckey and sons, Tom and Gavin, and family’s Stuckey Pastoral “Corella” flock of the 37th annual Don Brown Memorial Merino ewe competition in the Condobolin region last week.
This year their 510 May/June 2015 drop maidens, May shorn, were retained and displayed after classing out 40 per cent by Hay-based classer, Chris Bowman from a lambing percentage of 90pc.
The Stuckeys had won the second of the two day tours which attracted 13 flocks in total.
Runner-up and Day 1 winner was the “Inglewood” flock of Jon and Colleen L’Estrange, which displayed 454 May/June ‘15 maidens, June shorn, remaining from a 42pc cull by classer Barry Crouch after a 95pc lambing.
While the Stuckeys have won in three consecutive years, the L’Estranges took out the award in four consecutive years starting in 2004.
Allen and Peter Stuckey and families Mutronga Pastoral, “Murtonga”, was placed overall third after being runner-up on the first day of judging.
Judges were Max Wilson, Wilgunyah stud and commercial flock, Dirranbandi, Queensland on his second and final year with Ross Ivey, Glentanner stud and commercial flock, Mount Cook, New Zealand.
Their associate was Angus Dawson, Arakoon Poll stud, Armidale, who won the 2015 national Merino Fleece competition and runner-up in the 2015 and 2016 RAS/ASC Merino Sheep Young Judges state finals at Sydney Royal Show.
Fred Donnelly and his mother, Colleen, “St Omer”, a flock based on Wanganella blood and classed by Chris Boman, won the award of achievement.
