The fine wool section of the Merino competition at the Australian Sheep and Wool show produced some of the bigger class line-ups, with 17 in the four-tooth, August-shorn class.
It was that class winner, Langdene 16-0950, that would eventually be named the grand champion Merino ram of the show, beating five other grand champion rams in their respective wool types.
LD16-0950, a 20.8 micron ram exhibited by the Cox family of Dunedoo, NSW, was described as a highly productive skinned ram with crimpy, well nourished wool.
He was also a member of the champion NSW pair that went on to win the 2018 National Pairs title.
Fine wool judge John Roberts, Dunbogan Merino stud, Dunedoo, NSW, said it is one of the best presentations of Merino sheep he has ever seen.
“The sheep I have seen are Merinos of extreme calibre,” Mr Roberts said.
He said the Langdene champion ram was a tremendous sire with a great spring of rib with beautiful soft wool.
“This is an extremely good ram the wool cutting ability on his body is unreal,” he said.
Stud principal Garry Cox said he has already been artificially inseminated to100 stud ewes with the lambs on the ground looking promising.
The successful sire will lead the Langdene sale team at the National Show and Sale in Dubbo, NSW, at the end of August.
The reserve grand champion fine wool ram went to a Nerstane poll ram that rose from his August-shorn, four-tooth poll class.
“The Nerstane ram has a great coverage of wool and his underline is superb down to the points,” Mr Roberts said.
Reserve champion fine wool poll ram went to Rock-Bank (429), which was then judged the Victorian bred ram of the year, which will compete for the national title at the National Merino Show and Sale at Dubbo, NSW.
The grand champion fine wool ewe, pictured right with Matthew Coddington and judge John Roberts, was won by Mr Coddington and family from Roseville Park, Dubbo, NSW, with an August-shorn, six-tooth ewe.
Mr Roberts said the ewe has a lot of wool with a fine crimp.
“She is a huge ewe with depth right through,” Mr Roberts said.
“She is a good example of what we are looking for in the industry.”
Her fleece figures measured an 18.3 micron fibre diameter, 3.1 SD, 16.9 CV and 99.8pc CF.
In reserve grand champion position was a ewe from Wurrook stud that had followed the Roseville Park ewe in second place from the six-tooth class beating the short wool champion to take reserve grand.
Champion fine wool poll Merino ewe went to the Corkhill family of Grassy Creek Merinos, Reids Flat, NSW, with reserve to Alfoxton stud, Armidale, NSW.
Mr Roberts said the champion poll was a very free growing ewe with very good wool.
Grassy Creek also took away most successful fine wool exhibitor.
Junior champion fine wool ram was awarded to Glenpaen stud with reserve to Demondrille stud, Harden, NSW, and the junior champion fine ewe was won by Trefusis stud, Tasmania, with Demondrille again reserve.