FULL brother and sister medium wool Poll Merino pair from Willandra Poll stud, Jerilderie, will represent NSW in the national finals of the Australian Pair competition at Bendigo, Victoria, in July.
Named after world famous tennis champions - the ram, Willandra Federer and ewe, Willandra Serena; they are sired by Willandra Desmond and from the $12,000 ewe purchased at the One Oak stud dispersal and are growing 18.8 and 18.9 micron wool respectively.
The ewe was described as a feminine sheep with lovely wool, by Poll Merino medium wool judge, Peter Rogers, Mt Yulong Poll stud, Telamgatuk, Victoria.
She has beautiful soft wool, purity all over, he said.
All five Merino and two Poll Merino judges adjudicated the pairs and group classes.
Serena went on to become grand champion Poll Merino ewe of the show and according to stud principal Ross Wells, was a donor in an Embryo Transfer program last November resulting in producing 24 productive embryos.
Federers wool measured a standard deviation (SD) of three, with a 16 per cent coefficient of variation (CV) and 99.6pc comfort factor (CF) while Serenas wool measured 2.8 SD; 14.8 CV and 99.7 CF,
They had won the National Merino Pair class over 14 other entrants but have class experience from the 2016 Rabobank Dubbo National last August by winning the March shorn duo.
That result convinced Mr Wells to have them shorn after Dubbo judging for entry into this event and a crack at the national title during the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.
Second place for the second year in a row went to the Cox familys Langdene stud, Dunedoo, who was knocking at the door last year when second to the Nerstane duo, while Alfoxton stud, Armidale was third.
Seventeen pairs contested the full-wool March shorn class with Walcha-based Airlie stud of Murray and Michelle Power and family, winning the award for the second successive year with fine wool sheep.
The 17.5 micron ram weighing 140 kilograms is by the same sire of their 2016 winning ram and grand champion at three New England shows. He was growing wool measuring an SD of 3, 17.1 CV and 99.6pc CF.
The 15.7 micron ewe was reserve grand champion and champion fine wool at the same shows and had wool measures of 2.6 SD, 16.6 CV and 99.8pc CF.
Mr Power said he was very excited to win the award two years running with bloodlines that are proving their worth within Airlie stud.
It was a close decision with second placing going to Bocoble stud, Mudgee, while third prize ribbon went to Merryville stud, Boorowa.
