Competition-winning Merino sheep bred to pay the bills at Taralga

That's what Brian Corby, Bungie, Taralga, said after his flock of June-shorn, Carrabungla-blood maiden ewes had been judged winner of the 2024 ANZ Agribusiness Taralga Region flock ewe competition.

The competition had been judged on March 1, before the award winners were announced at the Taralga Show on Sunday, March 10.

This was the fifth win for Mr Corby in the competition that has been running for 21 years.

"I have seen some tough times, but the sheep have always paid for themselves," he said.

"I had bought our farm in 1989 just as the Reserve Price Scheme collapsed, but we were able to hang on."

Mr Corby was very appreciative of his win in the competition and said the biggest benefit from entering were the comments from the judges and the interaction with the other entrants.

"The judges appraisal of each flock is very beneficial to all of the competitors," he said.

"We also have the chance to look at the other flocks and listen to what those people are trying to do."

Mr Corby was a shearer and he said that experience has given him a good idea of what type of sheep and wool are best suited to his high rainfall district.

"We've been buying rams from Carrabungla, which is just up the road, for the past 15 years because they have been bred in the area," he said.

"And I think that might probably be a big reason for my success."

Judges for the competition were Avalon McGrath, Hollow Mount Merino stud, Bigga, and Neil Lynch, McCarthy's, Berridale.

Mr Lynch is a past winner of the annual Berridale Flock Ewe Competition, and understood the difficulties the entrants of the Taralga event had faced during the previous 12 months.

"They all had reduced numbers of ewes on display due to the excessive wet seasons," he said.

"All of the entrants are very good managers but they all accepted that their sheep had been greatly affected by the weather, thinking they were a bit smaller and with less weight than they would have liked.

"Nevertheless, I thought the sheep presented in good order and the wool was of a very high standard.

"The producers are pushing for higher yielding fleeces with good nourishment on the tips."

Mr Lynch said the winning flock had the best woolled sheep on the day, and there was very little in the scoring between second and third.

Competition coordinator Chris Croker said eight district flocks were entered, which was "a very good number."

"The sheep were all in very good condition allowing for a very different season through 2023," he said.

"It was certainly trying on our sheep."

First: Brian Corby, Bungie, Taralga, with his Carrabungla-blood flock

Second: Matt Craig, Tanjenong, Taralga, with his Grassy Creek-blood flock

Third: Chris Croker, Ayrton, Taralga, with his Thalabah-blood flock

Fourth: George Boardman, Charliefield, Myrtleville, with his Carrabungla-blood flock

Fifth: George Boardman, as manager for Anna Samuels, Essington, Tarlo, with her Leachim-blood flock.