Drew and Laura Chapman, Delegate, took out NSW supreme ram with Hinesville Pharoah three years ago and returned last week to Dubbo with Hinesville Two-Up to repeat the feat.
Both were sale rams and both took out the sale ram grand championship as entree to the supreme award at a Rabobank National Merino Show and Sale.
This year it was their medium wool ram sired by H2.14 growing 18.4 micron wool of 165 millimetres staple length which had won the medium wool grand champion ribbon at the recent Bendigo Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Victoria.
Speaking for all five judges after announcing the NSW supreme award fine-medium wool judge, Malcolm Peake, Bogo stud, Yass, said ram won because of its overall balance.
“He has very long soft staple wool, deep body, stands correct,” Mr Peake said.
But it was an outstanding first showing March-shorn medium wool ewe that took the judges’ fancy to promote her to grand champion August shorn and then NSW supreme Merino ewe.
This home-bred 18.5 micron ewe had just cut its two-teeth and was one of four sheep which won five broad ribbons at the fixture for the Johnston family, West Wyalong. A milk-tooth fine-medium ewe gained reserve champion March shorn ewe.
A total of 150 Merinos were displayed in August and March shorn classes with the majority of entries as March shorn sheep compared to August wools as breeders test the judging waters for the 2019 full-wool showing season.
Grathlyn stud, Hargraves, was successful in the superfine section showing August shorn ram champion and reserve, both four-teeth, and reserve ewe to a Bocoble six-tooth champion. Grathlyn also exhibited the March shorn ram with a milk-tooth entry.
The Cox family’s Langdene stud, Dunedoo, dominated August fine wool classes taking out champion ram with a six-tooth and champion and reserve ewes, both four-tooths with Roseville, Park stud, Dubbo, showing reserve ram.
Fine wool March shorn ram award went to Grassy Creek stud, Reids Flat with reserve to Nerstane, Woolbrook, both out of the four-tooth class. Koonwarra stud won the ewe while Grassy Creek stood reserve.
Nerstane stud showed champion August shorn ewe with Langdene reserve, both four-tooths while Mt Ascot, Mitchell, Queensland, exhibited champion ram with Nerstane reserve.
