A Glen Esk ram took out the Corriedale feature breed judging of the NSW State Sheep Show yesterday claiming the supreme exhibit title, a feat the Hoolihan family has not achieved since 2010.
Judged by John Burrows of Eudunda Corriedale stud, Oxford, New Zealand, who was assisted by 18-year-old associate judge Brooke Baker of Camden, the feature show had 56 animals enter the ring, but one ram was unstoppable on his journey to success.
Glen Esk Junior 029/17 was the ram that won over the judges, taking first place in the ram over one year and under two years woolly open class. He then went on to be the champion woolly Corriedale ram, the overall grand champion Corriedale ram and supreme Corriedale exhibit.
Sired by the 2018 Sydney Royal champion ram Glen Esk 52/03815, Junior was also awarded best Corriedale head.
Glen Esk stud principal Rick Hoolihan said Junior was also the reserve champion Corriedale ram of the Canberra Show and would be retained and go onto Bendigo in July.
"He will go onto Bendigo, and then is being retained and will go to an AI (artificial insemination) centre along with Glen Esk 05916, who was the reserve champion at Sydney Royal this year," Mr Hoolihan said.
Purchasing the stud in 2016 from Tasmania, Mr Hoolihan said Glen Esk has won nearly everything they can within the fleece sections recently.
"We had three champions at Sydney and Bathurst in the fleeces," he said. "And in 2018 at the Bendigo World Congress we had champion and reserve champion ram fleece, and champion ewe fleece as well as overall reserve champion."
Last winning the supreme title in 2010, the Glen Esk stud was pleased to finally claim the big win again.
"In 2010 we had both the ewe and ram champions, and supreme in the Corriedale section, as well as champion long wool interbreed ewe," he said.
"Annually we show at Dubbo for the NSW State Sheep Show, and this year would not have been possible without the help of Trinity Catholic College Goulburn students Jack and Jake, who put in an outstanding amount of work."
The Glen Esk supreme-winning ram was placed above the grand champion Corriedale ewe, Badgally 1518, from the St Gregory's College, Campbelltown, Badgally stud.
She was the champion woolly Corriedale ewe, and went on to be named the champion long wool interbreed ewe during the interbreed championship.
Reserve champion woolly ewe was Badgally 009, who paired up with Badgally 06 to win the pair of two ewes.
The Manchester family of Roseville stud, Kingsvale, were successful in winning the group of one ram, and two ewes, along with many other achievments
Roseville 008 was the champion shorn Corriedale ewe, Roseville 372 was reserve champion shorn Corriedale ewe, Roseville 021 was the champion shorn Corriedale ram and Roseville 315 was reserve champion woolly ram.
Reserve champion shorn Corriedale ram was Glen Esk 003.
- Read the full Corriedale feature show report in the June 6 issue of The Land.
