FOR the second year running an upstanding Poll Merino sire from the Bolt family's Claypans stud, Corrigin, took top honours in the autumn shorn judging at this year's IGA Perth Royal Show.
The classy sire outclassed the competition from its opening class, catching the eye of the judges as it showed its stature and presence in the ring to be sashed the grand champion autumn shorn ram and the junior champion exhibit.
The win topped off an excellent showing for the Bolt family who claimed all three major awards in the Merino judging.
When the young ram was sashed the junior champion, fine wool judge Angus Beveridge, Wyuna stud, Armatree, New South Wales, said it ticked all the boxes.
"He is a massive ram that is structurally spot on and stands well," Mr Beveridge said.
"He also has a good spring of rib, length of body and a great hindquarter.
"In terms of his wool he is carrying a wonderful fine wool which tests well for his size.
"Not only is his wool quality good, he has a huge quantity on him for an autumn shorn.
"He is the perfect package."
The ram earned the right to compete for the championship when it won its class for fine wool Poll Merino rams under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth ahead of three other rams before going on to be sashed the champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ram under 1.5 years.
When the ram was also sashed the grand champion autumn shorn ram medium wool judge Peter Stockman, Springvale North Poll Merino stud, Burra, South Australia, said it was a standout.
"He is a big ram with an outstanding structure," Mr Stockman said.
"He has great bone, length and depth of body and good purity.
"He also has a great wool all over which makes him a great package."
The fine wool ram is AI-bred by Moorundie Park 306 and had wool figures of 17.2 micron, 2.8 SD, 16.1 CV and 100 per cent comfort factor.
The ram is no stranger to show accolades as it was sashed the reserve grand champion Poll Merino ram at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Sale in Katanning in August.
Standing behind the Claypans ram for the two major autumn shorn awards and being sashed the reserve junior champion exhibit and reserve grand champion autumn shorn ram was a classy Merino sire from the Mullan family's Eastville Park stud, Wickepin.
Mr Beveridge said the Eastville Park ram was another top sire with excellent structure.
"He has a consistent solid structure, a great head and a good horn set," he said.
"He also has great purity and is going to cut a lot of wool."
The ram was also sashed the champion autumn shorn Merino ram under 1.5 years and at this point strong wool judge Scott Pickering, Derella Downs and Pyramid Poll stud, Cascade, said the ram was a big, square sheep with a pure face and masculine head.
"He is a real dual-purpose sheep - he has a top carcase and will cut a lot of wool," Mr Pickering said.
It earned the right to compete in the championships after winning its class for strong wool Merino rams under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth in front of five other sires.
The ram is from a syndicate mating of Eastville Park rams sired by East Mundalla Jonty and had wool figures of 20.4 micron, 3.2 SD, 15.6 CV and 99.7pc CF.
The Eastville Park stud also exhibited the reserve champion autumn shorn Merino ram under 1.5 years and reserve champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ram under 1.5 years.
When Mr Pickering sashed the stud's Merino sire the reserve champion, he said the ram was a heavy wool cutter with a great outlook.
"He has terrific width right through, a wide horn set and good purity," he said.
"He is a productive ram."
The ram was in the championships after winning its initial medium wool autumn shorn Merino ram class for rams under 1.5 years in front of five other sires.
It carried wool figures of 20.6 micron, 3.1 SD, 15.1 CV and 99.9pc CF and was by a syndicate of Eastville Park rams sired by East Mundalla Jonty.
When it came to its poll sire which was sashed the reserve champion Poll ram under 1.5 years, Mr Beveridge said it was structurally very good and consistent in its fleece throughout.
"He has good body weight, stands up square and has a good even, long stapled fleece," Mr Beveridge said.
The ram is by Kamballie Axle and had wool figures of 20.3 micron, 3.0 SD, 14.6 CV and 99.9pc CF.
The ram was in the championships after winning its initial strong wool autumn shorn Poll Merino ram class for rams under 1.5 years in front of five other sires.
The champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ram over 1.5 years was exhibited by the Belmont Park stud, Wagin.
Mr Stockman said the ram showed good thickness, terrific staple length and would be a great wool cutter.
The four-tooth, strong wool ram is by Boonoke 28 (B28) and had wool figures of 20.4 micron, 3.9 SD, 18.9 CV and 99.4pc CF.
Standing in reserve to the solid Belmont Park sire was a medium wool ram from the Eastville Park stud.
Mr Stockman said the Eastville Park sire had length of body, great purity and a good outlook.
The ram is also by Axle and had wool figures of 20.8 micron, 3.1 SD, 14.9 CV and 99.9 pc CF.
The Misty Hills stud, Kojonup, exhibited the champion autumn shorn Merino ram over 1.5 years.
Mr Beveridge said the ram was a good superfine type with good evenness right over.
The four-tooth ram carried wool figures of 16.0 micron, 2.9 SD, 18.2 CV and 100pc CF.
In the autumn shorn ewe classes it was a Merino ewe from the Eungai stud, Miling, which finished ahead of the pack and was sashed the grand champion autumn shorn ewe.
Mr Pickering said the Eungai ewe was a great sheep.
"She has an impressive hindquarter and is wide all the way through," he said.
"She is also carrying a nice, bright, bold crimping strong wool.
"He has great staple length and is going to be a heavy cutter."
The upstanding ewe earned the right to compete for the top ewe award when it won its class for strong wool Merino ewes under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth ahead of five other ewes before going on to be sashed the champion autumn shorn Merino ewe under 1.5 years.
The ewe is by Eungai Lustre and carried wool figures of 20.9 micron, 3.5 SD, 16.5 CV and 99.6pc CF.
Standing in reserve to Eungai ewe and being sashed the reserve grand champion autumn shorn ewe was a classy Poll Merino ewe from the Button family's Manunda stud, Tammin.
Mr Stockman said the Manunda ewe displayed a good structure and carried a top wool.
"She has a good spring of rib and stands up square," Mr Stockman said.
"When it comes to the wool she is carrying a bright, white wool on a supple skin.
"She a really good even crimp all over and good purity."
The ewe stood in the grand champion line-up after winning its class for medium wool Poll Merino ewes under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth ahead of six other ewes and then being sashed the champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ewe under 1.5 years.
The ewe is by a syndicate of Manunda rams and out of a Haseley maiden ewe.
It carried wool figures of 18.4 micron, 3.1 SD, 17.0 CV and 99.9pc CF.
The Manunda stud's success wasn't confined to just this ewe, another three ewes from the stud took home broad ribbons.
The first of these was the champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ewe over 1.5 years' ribbon which was won by a medium wool ewe which Mr Stockman said had a good outlook and conformation.
"She has length and width of body and is carrying a stylish, crimpy wool," he said.
The ewe had wool figures of 18.4 micron, 2.9 SD, 15.7 CV and 100pc CF.
It also exhibited the reserve champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ewe under 1.5 years and reserve champion autumn shorn Merino ewe under 1.5 years.
Mr Stockman said the Poll Merino ewe was a well-made ewe with good purity.
The ET-bred ewe is by Rhamily Benny and had wool figures of 17.8 micron, 2.9 SD, 16.3 CV and 99.7pc CF.
The ewe stood in the champion line-up after winning its class for fine wool Poll Merino ewes under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth ahead of nine other ewes.
When the Merino ewe received its reserve ribbon, Mr Stockman said it was productive ewe with a good skin, purity and a top stylish wool.
"She is going to be a bale filler," he said.
The ewe stood in the champion line-up after winning its class for medium wool Merino ewes under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth ahead of six other ewes.
The ewe had wool figures of 18.2 micron, 3.0 SD, 16.7 CV and 99.9pc CF.
In the unhoused classes it was the Quailerup West stud, Wickepin and the Eungai stud, which took out the major awards.
When the Quailerup West sire was sashed the champion unhoused/unrugged ram, Mr Beveridge said the ram had good length, size and conformation.
"He is also carrying a long stapled, bulky wool," he said.
The two-tooth Merino ram is a grandson East Mundalla Jonty and had wool figures of 21.0 micron, 3.5 SD, 16.8 CV and 99.3pc CF.
The reserve champion unhoused/unrugged ram was exhibited by the Merna stud, Quairading.
Mr Beveridge said it had good purity and was consistent in its wool.
The two-tooth Poll ram had wool figures of 18.4 micron, 2.8 SD, 14.9 CV and 99.9pc CF.
The champion unhoused/unrugged ewe exhibited by the Eungai stud was a two-tooth strong wool ewe.
Mr Stockman said it had terrific crimp definition and style plus a very good structure.
The ewe measured 19.2 micron, 3.1 SD, 16.0 CV and 100pc CF in the wool.
The reserve champion unhoused/unrugged ewe was exhibited by the Boorabbin stud, Wannamal.
Mr Stockman said the ewe carried a bright, white wool which was very even in the crimp all over.
The 6.5-year-old ET-bred ewe had wool figures of 17.8 micron, 3.2 SD, 17.8 CV and 99.9pc CF.
Jodie Rintoul
Farm Weekly's livestock manager.
Farm Weekly's livestock manager.
