PRINCE George of Cambridge may be third in line for the throne but his namesake Seymour Park George took its place at the top of the Merino monarchy this year when it was named the supreme exhibit at last week's Rabobank Katanning Stud Merino Show and Sale.
Like its counterpart Prince George was three weeks ago in London, Seymour Park George was the centre of attention at the show and certainly had the rights to claim the title of prince of the show ring with its size and superior wool traits.
Prior to the showing there was no clear cut favourite to take out the top award as no one sheep had dominated Wagin Woolorama and Williams Gateway Expo.
However after a top showing at the Australian Sheep and Wool show in Bendigo, Victoria, last month, George was probably a narrow leader at the beginning of the day and come the final hoorah it captured the crown.
Despite making an impression on the judges from the opening classes, George didn't have it all its own way and there were definitely a few anxious occasions for Seymour Park stud principal Clinton Blight during the judging which saw more than 200 Merinos from 36 studs analysed.
The win for the Blight family's Highbury-based stud marked the first time it had taken out the top award at any show in WA and also the first time a Shahs-bred animal had been sashed with a supreme ribbon.
The Blight family registered the Seymour Park stud in 2003 and it has grown dramatically since then following the purchase of the Shahs stud from the Ralston family in early 2011.
George was invitro when the stud was purchased.
The winning ram was challenged strongly along the route to the supreme judging by Rangeview's top fine wool Merino sire, a young March-shorn Poll Merino ram from the Eastville Park stud and another medium wool Poll ram also exhibited by the Seymour Park stud.
In winning the supreme award it also meant George became the WA Ram of the Year and earned the right to represent WA in the national judging next week at Dubbo, New South Wales.
And following the ram's success in Bendigo the Blight family have had no hesitation in deciding to take George and its medium wool stablemate to Dubbo.
On announcing the supreme exhibit, medium wool judge Justin Campbell, Boonoke stud, Deniliquin, NSW, said the ram was outstanding and its overall package was tremendous.
"He is a long ram with a big barrel and very good structure," Mr Campbell said.
"In addition to this he is a magnificent-woolled ram which carries a long-stapled, beautiful, lustrous soft wool.
"He is well-covered and has a very good top notch."
Fine-medium wool judge Wayne Button, Manunda stud, Tammin, said George was a complete ram.
"He has a beautiful structure and carries a long-stapled, soft-handling, well-defined medium wool," Mr Button said.
In the final supreme judging line-up, George stood alongside a Rangeview Merino sire, a well-balanced fine-medium wool Merino ewe from the Angenup stud, Kojonup and a big, deep strong wool Poll Merino ewe from the Willemenup stud, Gnowangerup.
The run to the top for George started when it was sashed the champion August shorn medium wool Poll Merino ram, ahead of nine other entries in the biggest August shorn class of the day.
The six-tooth, which contained pure Shahs breeding, measured 20.6 micron, 2.7 SD, 13.1 CV and 99.8 per cent comfort factor.
George was sashed the grand champion and champion medium wool ram at this year's Wagin Woolorama and Williams Gateway Expo and grand champion medium wool ram at the Australian
