THERE is a few dollars worth of quality WA grown wool sitting in the wool display at the IGA Perth Royal Show right now.
Wool judging at the show encourages entries from stud and commercial producers each year, but this year entries were up with 185 fleeces from 25 exhibitors in with a chance to win big.
Once again, the display cabinets in the sheep pavilion were filled with plenty of bright, crimpy wools from across the State for showgoers to check out, with judges saying they continued to be impressed by the standard of wool entered into the competition each year.
Judges Tim Burgess and Tony Alosi, Elders, Cameron Henry and Matt Chambers, Landmark and Graeme Luff, Primaries, joined chief judge Tim Chapman, Primaries, to examine all entries for the various awards which were handed out at the show, and this year a fleece off the back of a truly royal ram from the King family’s Rangeview stud, Darkan, was awarded the supreme champion fleece award.
The big win was a surprise for the King family, who has come close to the top award a few times over the years.
Rangeview stud co-principal Jeremy King passed on the credit to his wife Melinda for encouraging him to get some fleeces into this year’s competition.
Ms King said enthusiasm in the current wool market was a main factor in the decision to enter some fleeces this year.
“We thought with wool prices where they are, it would be important to enter this year’s competition,” Ms King said.
“And it’s fantastic to come away with a couple of the major awards.”
The supreme sash was laid over a fleece from a Poll Merino Rangeview stud ram with Avington bloodlines set to be offered at the stud’s on-property sale at Darkan in the coming weeks, after winning the broad ribbons for champion superfine fleece, champion open Merino ram fleece and grand champion ram fleece.
The ram the fleece came from, was also judged the reserve champion superfine ram at the 2018 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Sale at Katanning in August and had wool test results including 17.4 micron, 15.9 spinning fineness, 99.9 per cent comfort factor (CF), 111mm staple length and 50N/kt staple strength.
It was also awarded perfect scores by the judges for soundness, evenness of fibre diameter, handle and colour, resulting in a winning final score of 96 points from a possible 100.
Of the supreme Rangeview fleece, chief judge Tim Chapman said it had outstanding evenness of style, handle and brightness.
“It was second to none,” Mr Chapman said.
“This award for Rangeview goes to show how far the development of quality in breeding has come over the years at the stud.
“A well-deserved congratulations to the King family on their win.”
Taking out the purple sash for grand champion ewe or wether fleece was the Edward family, Belmont Park stud, Wagin, with a beautifully soft ewe fleece from the grand champion Poll Merino ewe at this year’s Australian Sheep and Wool show in Bendigo, Victoria.
Belmont Park stud co-principal Malcolm Edward said the family was delighted that the Belmont Park bred ewe did so well in Bendigo and delighted again to see her fleece earn a major award in Perth.
“She’s going into our embryo program and will be mated to some of our best rams so we have a lot of faith in her,” Mr Edward said.
“When she was shorn, she cut about 10 kilos, so she’s a good wool producer.”
The ewe fleece had wool test results including 18.5 micron, 17.1 spinning fineness, 99.8pc CF, 119mm staple length and 65N/kt staple strength.
Subjective points awarded from the judges included perfect scores for soundness, length, evenness of fibre diameter and handle, finishing with a final score of 95 from 100, just one point off the score which saw the supreme ribbon go to the Rangeview stud.
The reserve champion ram fleece, reserve champion open Merino ram fleece and champion fine fleece ribbons were awarded to the Mallibee stud, Wannamal, representing the first major awards in wool judging for the stud.
Stud consultant Bruce Cameron said the ram was by Roseville Park 43 and was a good performer for the stud with wool test results including 19.8 micron, 18.1 spinning fineness, 99.7pc CF, 138mm staple length and 39N/kt staple strength.
It was awarded a final tally of 94 from 100 points by the judges, including perfect scores for colour, handle, evenness of fibre diameter and length.
Another Wannamal-based stud took out the reserve champion ewe or wether fleece with a ewe fleece from Boorabbin gaining a total of 91 points from 100, including perfect scores for length, evenness of fibre diameter and handle.
The Boorabbin bred ewe was by Rhamily Benny and was described by the Boorabbin team as a productive ewe with nice, stylish wool.
It had wool test results including 19.9 micron, 18.4 spinning fineness, 99.6pc CF, 142mm staple length and 47N/kt staple strength.
The award for the grand champion pair of fleeces went to supreme winner Rangeview stud, Darkan, for a pair of fleeces from two outstanding ewes, including the reigning champion fine wool ewe from this year’s Make Smoking History Wagin Woolorama.
Grand champion commercial fleece went to the Rintoul family, Dongiemon and Tilba Tilba studs, Williams, for a Tilba Tilba ewe fleece out of the Dark Blue family at the stud.
The Rintoul family is no stranger to broad ribbons in wool judging but said this commercial value win was their first and they were delighted to see their focus on breeding highly productive fine wool sheep paying off.
In the farmers fleece category, Charlesville Brahman stud, Southern Cross, was the standout, taking home the ribbons for grand champion farmers fleece, reserve grand champion farmers fleece, champion farmers ram fleece, champion farmers ewe or wether fleece and most successful exhibitor in zone two.
The grand champion fleece was from a superfine wool ram and awarded a total of 87 points from 100, including perfect scores for evenness of fibre diameter and handle.
It also had wool test results including 17.1 micron, 15.8 spinning fineness, 99.8pc CF, 100mm staple length and 48N/kt staple strength.
Grand champion Corriedale fleece was awarded back-to-back to the WA College of Agriculture, Denmark, for a ram fleece with 81 points out of 100, including high scores for length, evenness of fibre diameter, character and handle.
The remaining champion ribbons were awarded to ram fleeces from Coromandel stud, Gairdner, and Eastville Park stud, Wickepin, for wins in the medium and ultrafine fleece categories respectively.
The medium wool fleece from Coromandel had wool test results including 21.7 micron, 20.1 spinning fineness, 99.3pc CF, 128mm staple length and 47N/kt staple strength as well as perfect subjective scores for evenness of fibre diameter, handle and colour, while the Eastville Park ultrafine wool fleece from the ram featured on the cover of Farm Weekly’s WA Merino Magazine this year, was awarded perfect scores from the judges for handle and length, along with wool test results including 16.2 micron, 15.1 spinning fineness, 99.8pc CF, 125mm staple length and 42N/kt staple strength.
The most successful exhibitor in zone three this year was the Rintoul family, Auburn Valley stud, Williams, while Peter Horne, Woodanilling, was once again the most successful exhibitor from zone four.
Mr Chapman said all fleeces that were awarded major awards this year showed magnificent style, bolstered by excellent objective measurements.
“The standard of competition was very high this year, especially in the higher end of the judging,” Mr Chapman said.
“Congratulations to all exhibitors on another very good presentation of wool overall this year.”
Mr Chapman also said it was great to see so many farmers fleeces entered this year.
“The farmer fleeces made up quite a large percentage of the total lots entered this year which was great,” he said.
“And the quality, style, handle and colour of those fleeces was impressive.”
