Jack Kelly representing Egelabra Merino Stud, Warren has been named champion in the state final of the RAS/ASC Merino Young Judges competition at the Sydney Royal Show.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Mr Kelly, 21, has been at Egelabra for three years, alongside his father, stud classer Paul Kelly.
It's the second year in a row the NSW champion has come from Egelabra, Jack Lawrence winning the state competition last year.
Mr Kelly came second to his cousin, Matt Kelly, at the 2018 Rabobank Dubbo National Merino Sheep Show last August.
He said being named champion at Sydney came as a surprise.
"A bit overwhelming, it was a pretty good competition actually and a few of those blokes I go to work with," Mr Kelly said.
Overjudge, Jono Merriman, Koonwarra and Merrignee studs, Boorowa, said Mr Kelly particularly stood out in the oral section of the competition, keeping the nerves at bay despite the large crowd that gathered to watch in the sheep pavilion.
"A few were a bit nervous and they slipped down the order a little bit in their delivery, the placegetter, was very good from the moment he stepped on the mat to the moment he finished his talk, confident, very able," Mr Merriman said.
Mr Kelly won the oral and handling sections and was equal first in the visual section with overall second place holder, Shaun Kopp, 18, Towonga Stud, Peak Hill.
Mr Kopp was followed by Mitchell Rubie, Lachlan Merinos, Forbes in the third place, Matt Kelly, Haddon Rig, Warren in fourth and Darcy Lyons, Yanco in fifth.
Mr Merriman said it was strong competition across the board but the placegetters stood out.
"There was a lead five or six people in it that knew their processes, were a bit more confident in their abilities and that sort of showed up in the place gettings," Mr Merriman said.
Mr Kelly will travel to Perth Royal Show to compete in the national Merino Young Judges competition in September.
