Leewang ewes - champions of Central Western Merino ewe competition

The Central and Western ewe competition puts first placegetters of the Ted Little (Trundle), Don Brown (Condobolin) and Doug Bicket (Parkes) memorial competitions head-to-head, as-well-as second placed teams and judged by breeders from outside the regions.

This year both judges came from the Monaro, James Barron, Adina stud, Peak View, and Greg Alcock, Greenland stud, Nimmitabel, who both said they could see the difference in the sheep from the three regions.

However, both agreed on the winning flock from James and Elise Nixon, Leewang, Yarrabandai, whose Bundemar blood ewes classed by Tom Kirk, now of Baldry, took their eyes for champions due to their nourishment of wools.

Mr Barron said the Leewang ewes were well nourished, very square on their feet and had good wool and plenty of it. "The main thing that grabbed us was the nourishment in the wool. They have a really good surface on them," he said.

Mr Alcock commented that they may have been younger than the other teams, but they were growing very well nourished wools.

"All well-grown for their age with good length and shape with good lock structure, a pretty even team," he said.

The winner of the second-place teams was the Allambie flock of the Watt family, Alectown, of Darriwell blood and classed by Russell Jones.

The judges said the winner of the second placing teams could have gone any way. Mr Barron said the Allambie ewes were heavy wool cutters and Mr Alcock added the ewes had good wool and good length of body.

"Overall, each flock was a winner in its own right, but our job was to select what we thought the best, and coming from the Monaro and breeding different types, both of us chose these two as the better flocks in our eyes," Mr Alcock said.

The contest was made up by the Hood family's Wendouree flock, Parkes, Karu flock of the Crouch family, Condobolin and Nixon family, Trundle, competitions.

Runners-up flocks included Mat and Korina Aveyard's Plevna West flock, Trundle, Menzies family, Moonbah, Condobolin and the Watt family, Allambie, Parkes.

Both judges agreed the concept created extra interest in the Merino breed.