A Poll Merino described as having a heavy cutting and long stapled white-woolled fleece on a free, loose lifting skin was awarded the sash for champion March-shorn ram at the 2019 Australian Sheep & Wool Show held in Bendigo.
Exhibited by Russell and Jenny Jones, Darriwell, Trundle, the spring 2017-drop ram had previously been awarded the ram championship for the Poll Merino medium wool class.
Sired by Darriwell Poll 1198, a son of Poll Boonoke 130028 who had been Riverina Ram of the Year in 2014, the champion ram has the impressive figures, 18.8 micron, 3.7 standard deviation, 19.7 coefficient of variation and 99.8 percent comfort factor.
Mr Jones had tagged the ram for an August-shearing, but he decided to join him with a select draft of ewes in November before putting him back in the shed to be shorn in March.
"I thought he was an outstanding sire prospect, and was always good looking from when he was a lamb," he said.
"I don't think there are many Poll rams that will cut his amount of wool of exceptional quality combined with structural correctness."
The champion March-shorn ewe was shown by the Wells family, Willandra, Jerilderie.and had been judged champion March-shorn strong wool Poll Merino ewe.
That ewe was also sashed junior champion ewe after success as the junior champion strong wool ewe.
Willandra also exhibited the junior champion strong wool ram.
Other success recorded by NSW-based studs included the champion March-shorn ultrafine wool ram exhibited by Pete, Jayne and Cade Lette, Conrayn, Berridale.
Among many broad ribbon success from NSW, Andrew Raynor, Grathlyn showed the champion March-shorn ultrafine wool ram which went on to be judged junior champion ram.
Garry Cox, Langdene, Dunedoo exhibited the group of three Merinos while Chris Clonan, Alfoxton, Armidale showed the champion August-shorn fine/medium wool ewe, and Malcolm Cox, Bocoble, Moolarben exhibited the reserve champion March-shorn ultrafine ewe.
