GENERATIONS of Belswick rams going back to Sims-Uardry 9155 (Agro) for the past seven years and careful classing are features that have helped elevate the Stuckey family’s “Corella” maiden ewes to winning levels in each of the past three Central Western Merino ewe competitions.
The grand accolade achieved again this year by David Stuckey and sons Gavin and Tom, “Corella”, Condobolin, mirrored results of the Don Brown fixture wins for the past three years.
The Central Western (CW) competition began in 2000 when winning and runner-up flocks from Condobolin, Trundle and Parkes maiden flock ewe judgings competed for championship honours within the slopes and plains regions.
Corella maidens were 510 June/July 2015 drop, May shorn, retained after a 40 per cent cull by Riverina classer, Chris Bowman, Hay, after a 90pc lambing and come from a 20-21 micron average flock growing rich long stapled, well-nourished bright medium wools.
Second placing of the winner’s circle was the “Eurella” flock conducted by the Gowing family’s Gowing Partners, Trundle, which won the Ted Little Memorial’s Trundle competition.
These were 305 April/May‘15 drop August shorn ewes of Darriwell blood classed by Darriwell studmaster, Russell Jones, Trundle,after a 33pc cull of the drop after a 95pc lambing.
Winner of the “runner-up” section of the CW competition, judged separately to the winning flocks, was Jon and Colleen L’Estrange’s “Inglewood” flock of Condobolin which also was runner-up of the Don Brown Memorial fixture.
These 441 May/June‘15 drop ewes, June shorn, by homebred Inglewood sires selected from a 44pc cull by flock classer Barry Crouch, Condobolin, from a 95pc lambing.
Judges this year from the Hallett district of South Australia, were Tony Brooks, East Bungaree studs, and Tim Dalla, stud manager of Collinsville Merino and Poll Merino studs.
They were assisted by associate judge, 16 year-old Shaun Kopp, Towalba stud, Peak Hill, winner of the 2015 National Sheep Show junior judging at Bendigo, Victoria.
The other winning flock coming from the Parkes competition was the Hood family’s “Cherry Gardens”, just north of Parkes.
They displayed their 403 August’15 drop, June shorn,20 micron maidens of Haddon Rig blood and being the first progeny of Overland bred sires, classed by Andy McLeod, Dubbo, from a 110pc lambing.
Other runner-up flocks were Craig and Liz Tanswell’s “Milpose” flock of Goonumbla (Parkes) and the Burke family’s “The Kars” flock of Yarrabandai, from the Trundle competition.