IT WAS a back-to-back win for Keith and Paula Rees of Beckom, with their Pooginook blood ewes that took top honors in the West Wyalong Maiden Ewe Competition on Friday.
With five quality entries from across the region, the competition was judged by Glen Rubie of Lachlan Merinos, Forbes, and Ray Cannon of Westray Merinos, Peak Hill.
Runners-up in the West Wyalong competition were the Weir family from Ellersmere, Barmedman. Based on Woodpark and Heltey Park for the past 10 years, the flock is annually classes by Michael Elms with a 20 per cent cull rate.
The Weirs join around 1700 ewes, and were pleased to be in the competition again after having a break last year.
Jock Weir said they use the competition to benchmark themselves against a lot of good breeders in the area, and to get tips on how to improve areas and optimise the potential production of their flock.
First time entrants Chris and Janette Dixon of Quandialla received the encouragement award.
On Richmond Merino genetics for 12 to 14 years now, the Dixons run a mixed farming operation with about 1700 breeding ewes of which 1300 are joined to Merinos, and the rest to terminal sires.
Fot the first time for the West Wyalong competition, four associate judges were added to the line-up.
The associate judges award was presented to second-time entrant Luke Doecke of Dumfries, West Wyalong, who presented a group fo Lachlan Merino blood ewes.
Mr Doecke runs about 825 total breeding ewes are targets a 19.5 micron.
Among the crowd of spectators was a group of students from the West Wyalong High School, that were joined by their teachers who gave practical, in the field lessons on sheep and wool assessment.
- On-farm story with Keith and Paula Rees to follow.
