Look out Bendigo Merino pair contestants, Langdene stud, Dunedoo, is out to steal the 'National" pair title for the second year running.
This year 12 studs contested the coveted feature class of Sydney Royal Show's Merino section with 15 entries, including two from Langdene.
All seven wool section judges adjudicate which escalates the prestige of the class as the winner heads to Bendigo in July to contest the national title at the Australian Sheep and Wool show.
Langdene stud operated by Garry Cox and family has been a stalwart of this competition for years having been runner-up in 2005, and representing NSW in 2008 but not taking home the ribbon until last year. This year Garry Cox and family exhibited an 18.1 micron embryo transfer bred four-tooth fine-medium wool ram with wool figures including a comfort factor (CF) of 99.9 per cent while the standard deviation (SD) is 2.1 micron and coefficient of variation is 11.6pc. Langdene's ewe is also ET bred but a two-tooth fine wool with measurements of 15.1 micron with an SD of 2.1 and CV of 13.9, and also a 99.9pc comfort factor and later judged champion fine wool and junior champion Merino ewe.
Second place went to the Alcock family's Greenland stud, Bungarby, south of Cooma, with third place going to Nerstane stud, Woolbrook.
On behalf of the judges, Nigel Brumpton, Mt Ascot, Mitchell, Queensland, said there were excellent teams which had to return to their pens, but said exhibitors should not be discouraged.
"All judges came up with a unanimous decision as the winning team members were structurally correct and bulky," he said. "They are the kind of sheep that will put dollars into your bank account."
RAS March shorn
Full-wool pairs in the RAS pair of the year competition attracted 10 entries with judges narrowing down to a win for Nerstane stud with Greenland stud again placed second, and the Cox family's Bocoble stud, Eumungerie, third.
Speaking on behalf of judges, Russell Jones, Darriwell stud, Trundle, said all teams were a credit to their type.
"The winning team's ram is a monster, with a sire's head, tremendous length of body and carries himself very well on is feet. The ewe has pure and sweet wool," he said.
Nerstane's ram growing 19.7 micron wool was a six-tooth fine wool which led the stud's winning Stonehaven Cup group and later judged reserve March shorn fine wool and reserve grand champion fine wool ram.
He is a son of Charinga 975 (Billy) and his dam's grand-dam was by Tara Park Daddy Longlegs, the 2000 Rabobank Dubbo Australian Supreme ram.
"Second place team had a tremendous balance in the ram and ewe. The ram from front leg to back leg is brilliant, and the ewe balances up very well. A good wool-cutting type the industry needs.
"Third place team has tremendous depth and length of staple for a superfine team."
