The community of Condobolin and its surrounds celebrated its 125th show on the weekend, and it drew a crowd from across NSW and into Victoria.
The event featured Merino sheep, beef cattle, fleece, poultry and pavilion events, as well as a strong turn-out of horses from as far as Melbourne, and a diverse arts, crafts and cooking section.
The Merino judging was well contested, with several studs entering sheep, some of them as a final outing before this week's Rabobank National Merino Sheep Show and Ram Sale at Dubbo, which kicks off tomorrow (Tuesday).
The Towonga Merino stud, however, was the one to beat, taking the majority of the broadribbons, including best Merino exhibit with a quality ewe.
This was an important confidence boost for the stud's owners, Gary and Donna Kopp, Peak Hill, who's first on-property sale will be held on Wednesday, September 11, since their family succession plan was completed and the Towonga prefix registered in August last year.
Gary and Donna created Towonga from half of the entire Towalba Merino stud, while his brother and sister-in-law Warick and Barbara Kopp, also at Peak Hill, have continued the Towalba prefix with the remaining half of the flock.
This made for tough going for the sheep judges Ray Cannon, Westray Merinos, Peak Hill, who was the ram judge, and Ken Noakes, Karowarra Plains, Bedgerabong, as the ewe judge, both of whom came together to decide on the best individual exhibit.
Their eventual supreme went to the Kopp's ewe, a six-tooth strong wool with 21-micron wool that was purchased from Kerrilyn Merinos, Dunluce, Victoria.
The ewe was a grand-daughter of Calendar, the 2012 Australian supreme ram bred by the Kopp family, and which sold privately for $30,000 to Cowra sheep producer, Richard Chalker, who that year also registered his stud, Lach River.
Mr Kopp said his ewe would be flushed in six to eight weeks time.
In awarding the supreme exhibit to the ewe, judge, Mr Cannon, said (on behalf on himself and fellow judge, Mr Noakes) "it takes an outstanding ewe to beat an outstanding ram. We are going to elevate the ewe above the ram. We both believe she is a more outstanding sheep and is an excellent example of this type and for the sheep enthusiast here, make sure you have a good look, because it'll be a while before you see another one like this".
Towonga also exhibited the champion August-shorn ram and August-shorn ewe.
The stud's August-shorn ram went on to be awarded grand champion ram of the show, after coming up against a quality two-tooth March-shorn entry from Gary and Barbara Kopp's Towalba stud.
While the Towalba ram had impressed Mr Cannon, he said a premature wool exhibit really had to be spot on to beat a long-wool entry, and the four-tooth from Towonga, also showing excellent quality, demonstrated a high level of productivity that helped it to grand champion.
"Today he's (the Towalba ram) come up against a long wool with exceptional quality and production," Mr Cannon said, as he award the Towonga entry the sash.
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A long wool entry from Towalba, which had been reserve August-shorn ram under Towonga's eventual grand champion, then also beat the junior March-shorn entry for reserve grand champion ram.
Towalba, which has its on-property sale on September 20, also won champion March-shorn ewe and junior champion ram.
Towonga added reserve August-shorn ewe, reserve March-shorn ram and reserve junior ram, while Kiawarra stud, Weethalle, won reserve March-shorn ewe, J. and C. L' Estrange, Condobolin, won junior champion ewe and reserve junor ewe, and the Crouch family, "Karu", Condobolin, won champion unhoused ewes.
The Crouches backed up their unhoused ewe win with champion Merino fleece - ewe or wether - with an entry from one of the family's 20- to 21-micron hogget ewes, shorn in March, that was also part of their 2019 Don Brown Memorial Merino Ewe Competition entry.
The champion ram fleece was entered by the L' Estranges, Belswick stud, Condobolin.
Peter L' Estrange said it was cut from a ram he showed at Dubbo last year and which he has also used in the stud.
The fleece measured 21.7 micron and weighed 10.5 kilograms (skirted) with just nine months growth.
The cattle section featured Shorthorns, Murray Greys and Santa Gertrudis, but it was the Santa's day, the breed taking out grand champion male and female awards.
Denngal Santa Gertrudis, Forbes, exhibited the champion bull and female.
The bull was the 22-month-old Denngal Nolan, by Waco Excel, and would be offered at the Rockingham Santa sale on September 27.
In the Australian Stock Horses, champion led went to Topshelf Envy, exhibited by Sarah Malcolm, Bathurst, with reserve to Silverthorn Lilac Time, exhibited by Georgie Felton, Forbes.
Champion working Australian Stock Horse went to Derowie Serendipity, ridden by Glen Frazer, Purlewaugh, who also rode the reserve, Playmore Roulette, as well as reserve Stock Horse hack, the stallion Tamarang Destiny's Symphony.
Symphony was beaten for champion hack by HP Kiss 'n' Tell, ridden by Lee Ann Olsen, Sydney.
Champion girl rider was won by Charlotte Richardson, Chiltern, Victoria, who was a regular at Condobolin, including being stuck at the Condobolin Showground in 2007 under the equine influenza quarantine lock-down at the age of just 3.
The anniversary event also saw the return of Dianne Williams (nee Cooney), from Sydney, who was Condobolin's 1963 Showgirl - also Condobolin's first - and who finished as first runner-up at Sydney Royal in 1964 back when it was called The Mirror Showgirl Competition after then sponsors, The Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror.
She was 18 at the time and was a student, studying at Sydney University, as was the Forbes Showgirl who also made it to Sydney that year.
"We had classes all day and then would go at night for whatever they (the contest organisers) had planned for us," Ms Williams said.
However, she said it was great to have been able to advertise Condobolin in the city.
"Certainly few people knew of it, and fewer could spell it," she said.
Ms Williams won a holiday for two at the Pacific Hotel in Manly, as well as 2500 pounds prize money.
This year's Condobolin Showgirl winner was Reba Nicholson and runner-up was Lisa Sengul.
