A venue change has paid off for the Great Southern Supreme Merino committee, with a record number of junior handlers getting involved when the two-day event kicked off in Bathurst on February 27.
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There were about 230 rams entered, which exceeded the committee's hopes when the move was first announced.
More than 20 studs travelled from around NSW and Victoria to compete. The judges were Brett Cooper, AWN, Mudgee, for the ultra and superfines; Michael Corkhill, Grassy Creek Merinos, Reids Flat; Simon Bahr, Meadow View Poll Merinos, Henty; and Cam Munro, Egelabra Merinos, Warren.
August-shorn rams
The ultrafine champion was the four tooth and over class winner in Bocoble A20531.
Grathlyn A20374, the winner of the two tooth and under class, was reserve.
In the superfines, Queenlee A20678 was the champion after winning the two tooth and under class.
Bocoble A20535, which was second to Queenlee in the same class, was reserve.
Langdene was awarded champion and reserve in the fine wool class for tags A20400 and A20394, respectively, which were first and second in the four tooth and over class.
The fine/medium champion went to Demondrille A20278 after its win in the two tooth and under class, with the four tooth and over winner, Koonwarra A20271, in reserve.
Thalabah A20068 was the medium/strong wool winner after wining the two tooth and under class, with Lach River A20204 in reserve following its win in the four tooth and over class.
The Nutrien Ag Solutions champion August-shorn ram went to Thalabah A20068, by Nerstane 73, from the medium/strong wool. Langdene A20400, the fine wool champion, was reserve.
August-shorn ewes
The ultrafine champion ewe went to the two tooth and under winner, Greenland A20839.
Queenlee 23A20687, which was second to Greenland in the same class, was reserve.
The superfine champion went to Merryville A20525 after its win in the four tooth and over class, while Bocoble A20543 was reserve after coming second in the same class.
Langdene A20403 won the two tooth and under class before going on to win champion, with Merryville A20259 in second and going to win reserve.
In the medium wool, Langdene A20409 won the two tooth and under class before winning champion, with Merryville A20251 in second and then reserve.
Lach River had a double with the medium/strong wool. A20210 won the four tooth and over class before going to win champion, while A20209 was the two tooth and under class winner before taking reserve.
The Elders champion August-shorn ewe went to the ultrafine winner in Greenland A20839, with Langdene A20409 from the fine wool class in reserve.
August-shorn poll rams
In the ultrafine, Bocoble A20530 was champion. The ram was first in the four tooth and over class.
In reserve was Hillcreston 23A20006, which was second in the same class.
In the superfine, Merrignee A20267 won the two tooth and under class and therefore was awarded champion.
The fine wool was won by Airlie A20616 after winning the two tooth and under class. Merryville A20229 came second in the same class and went on to win reserve.
In the fine/medium, Koonwarra A20272 won the four tooth and over class before winning champion, while second place, and then reserve, went to Langdene A20401.
Terrick West took champion and reserve in the medium/strong wool section with tags 23A36110 and 23A36111, respectively, after the rams placed first and second in the tooth two and under.
The overall champion went to Terrick West 23A36110 from the medium/strong wool category, with the fine wool winner, Airlie A20616, in reserve.
August-shorn poll ewes
Grathlyn was awarded the ultrafine champion with A20386, which won the two tooth and under class.
Glenburnie A20627, which was second in the same class, was awarded reserve.
Queenlee A20686 was the sole exhibit in the superfine wool two tooth and under and went on to win champion.
Glenburnie A20629 was the champion in the fine wool category following its win in the two tooth and under. Bocoble A20541 was second in the same class and went on to win reserve.
The fine/medium champion went to Karowara Plains A20515 after it won the two tooth and under, while Terrick West A36103, which was second in the same class, was reserve.
Terrick West had another double in the medium/strong wool after A36102 and A23104 were first and second in the two tooth and under class and then champion and reserve, respectively.
Overall champion went to the fine/medium winner Karowara Plains A20515 with the medium/strong winner Terrick West A36102 in reserve.
March-shorn rams
Pomanara took champion and reserve in the ultrafines with M26258 and M26263. The rams were first and second in the four tooth and over class.
Merignee M7352 was champion superfine after winning the four tooth and over, while the two tooth and under winner, Greenland M28198, was reserve.
The fine wool category had some big classes but it was Merrignee M27355 that came away with champion after its win in the four tooth and over. In reserve was the two tooth and under winner, Greenland M28201.
Lach River M27326 was champion in the fine/medium category after its win in the four tooth and over. Nerstane M27834 was second in the same class and went on to win reserve.
Tara Park M27290 took champion in the medium/strong coming from the four tooth and over class, while the two tooth and under winner, Thalabah M27123, was reserve.
Merrignee won the Fabstock champion March-shorn ram for its fine wool winner in M27355, with its superfine winner M27352 in reserve.
March-shorn ewes
Greenland M28159 was the ultrafine champion following its win in the two tooth and under, while the four tooth and over winner, Pomanara M26285, was reserve.
The superfine champion was the four tooth and over winner, Merrignee M27343. Merryville M27225 was second in the same class and won reserve.
Thalabah M27081 was the fine wool four tooth and over winner and went on to be crowned champion. Greenland M28174, which was second in the same class, was reserve.
Thalabah M27076 was the fine/medium champion following its win in the four tooth and over, while the two tooth and under winner, Tara Park M27257, was reserve.
Tara Park then took first and second in the medium/strong four tooth and over with M27260 and M27256 going to win champion and reserve, respectively.
The fine wool winner, Thalabah M27081, was awarded the Fabstock champion March-shorn ewe, while Tara Park M27260 from the medium/strong category, was reserve.
March-shorn poll rams
Queenlee 23M27947 and Merryville M28356 placed first and second in the ultrafines and therefore went on to win champion and reserve.
There were no competitors in the superfine category.
In the fine wool, Merryville M27554 was champion after its win in the four tooth and over, while Demondrille M27487, which was second in the same class, was reserve.
The fine/medium champion went to West Plains 23M28110, which won the four tooth and over. Brundanella M27510, which was second in the same class, was reserve.
West Plains 23M28119 won the medium/strong four tooth and over class and therefore champion, while Lach River M27790 was second and then reserve.
The Schute Bell champion March-shone poll ram was awarded to the medium/strong winner in West Plains 23M28119, while the ultrafine winner, Queenlee 23M27947, was reserve.
March-shorn poll ewes
There were no entries in the ultrafines, but Merryville M28365 was the winner of the four tooth and over in the superfines and went on to win champion. Glenburnie 23M27936 won the two tooth and under class, and was reserve.
Merryville M27222 was the only entry in the fine wool, winning the two tooth and under class and therefore champion.
The fine/medium champion was Merryville M27207 after its win in the two tooth and under, while the four tooth and over winner, Merryville M27230, was reserve.
The medium/strong four tooth and over winner Brundanella M27531 went on to win champion, while Merryville M27218, the two tooth and under winner, won reserve.
Merryville M28365 won the AWN champion March-shorn poll ewe following its success in the superfine, while Glenburnie 23M27936, also from the superfines, won reserve.
Junior judging
There was a strong turnout for the junior judging competition, which was overseen by Stephen Chalmers, Nutrien stud stock, Wagga Wagga, and assisted by Cam Munro, Egelabra.
Paddy Lowe, Thalabah Merinos, Laggan, was awarded first place following some hot competition, with Max Humphries, Oberon, in second and Sam Frost, Thalabah, in third.
The class was sponsored by The Conron Store, Grenfell.
- The event continues today with the groups and grand champion awards. Full report to come.