THE Bolt family's Claypans stud, Corrigin, was back at the top of the winners' list in the autumn shorn Merino judging at the Perth Royal Show when an upstanding Poll Merino ram from the stud took home the highest honour.
The young Poll Merino sire stood head and shoulders above the rest of the competition to claim the highly sought-after junior champion ribbon.
The classy sire outclassed the competition from its opening class, catching the judges' eye as it showed stature and presence in the ring to be sashed not only the junior champion, but also the grand champion autumn shorn ram.
When the ram was sashed the junior champion fine wool judge Heather Meaton, Kojonup, said the ram had great make and shape and a quality wool.
"His wool is very white and soft and opens up really well," Ms Meaton said.
Equally impressed with the ram was medium wool judge Rick Wise, Wililoo stud, Woodanilling, who said the ram was a balanced and productive sire.
"He has a good barrel and a beautiful, white, soft-handling, long-stapled wool," Mr Wise said.
The ram earned the right to compete for the championships when it won its class for strong wool Poll Merino rams under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth ahead of two others.
From there it went on to be sashed the champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ram under 1.5 years.
At this stage strong wool judge Nathan Teakle, Walkindyer stud, Northampton, said the ram was a clear winner.
"He is a well-structured ram with a beautiful, white, bright, lustrous wool," Mr Teakle said.
"He is an impressive young ram."
The ET-bred ram is by Glen Donald 91 and out of Claypans 38.
In the ring the ram carried wool figures of 19.3 micron, 3.1 SD, 16.1 CV and 100 per cent comfort factor (CF).
The success in the autumn shorn judging ring didn't stop here for the Claypans stud; it also exhibited the reserve junior champion and reserve grand champion autumn shorn ram.
Mr Wise said the stud's reserve champion was very similar to its champion.
"He is well-structured, with a good barrel and a soft pure muzzle," Mr Wise said.
"He also carries a very rich, nourished, white, medium wool with plenty of style."
The ram was in the junior and grand champion line-up after placing first in its class for medium wool Poll Merino rams under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth in front of eight others and then taking home the reserve champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ram under 1.5 years ribbon.
The ram is an ET-bred son of Claypans 632 and Claypans 18, which were both autumn shorn champions at the 2019 show.
It has wool figures of 19.8 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.7 CV and 99.6pc CF.
The stud also tasted success in the championship for Poll Merino rams over 1.5 years taking home the champion ribbon with a medium wool sire.
When this ram received the champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ram over 1.5 years ribbon Mr Wise said it had a rich, well-nourished, long-stapled wool and a good soft muzzle.
Like its stable mates it is also ET-bred. It is sired by Claypans 632 and out of Claypans 40.
In the wool it measured 18.6 micron, 3.0 SD, 16.1 CV and 99.9pc CF.
The reserve champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ram over 1.5 years was displayed by the Jones family's Belka Valley stud, Bruce Rock.
When it came to the autumn shorn Merino rams classes there were only junior rams presented and it was the Mullan family's Eastville Park stud, Wickepin, which came out on top and took home the champion autumn shorn Merino ram under 1.5 years ribbon.
Mr Wise said the Eastville Park ram was a big, sound structured ram with a good, deep side.
"In addition to his good size and structure, he also has a nice, long-stapled, soft wool," Mr Wise said.
The ram was in the champion line-up after winning its initial class for autumn shorn medium wool Merino rams under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth.
The ram is no stranger to broad ribbons - at this year's Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale at Katanning it was sashed the grand champion March shorn Merino ram.
The ram is AI bred by Collinsville Gladiator, which the Mullan family was losing bidders on when it sold for $72,500 at the 2019 Adelaide Ram Sale and out of a ewe carrying East Mundalla Jonty bloodlines.
In the ring it carried wool figures of 18.4 micron, 3.7 SD, 20.1 CV and 99.9pc CF.
Standing in reserve to the Eastville Park ram and being sashed the reserve champion autumn shorn Merino ram under 1.5 years was a fine wool ram from the Rintoul family's Tilba Tilba stud, Williams.
Mr Wise said the Tilba Tilba ram was a neat and tidy sheep with a quality fine wool but it just didn't have the size and scale of the champion.
The ram is from the stud's purple family and has wool figures of 18.1 micron, 3.7 SD, 20.4 CV and 99.9pc CF.
In the autumn shorn ewe classes it was an upstanding ewe from the Button family's Manunda stud, Tammin, which took top honours when it was sashed the grand champion autumn shorn ewe.
When the ewe got the judges' nod for the grand champion ribbon Mr Wise said it was the complete animal with a good finish all over.
"She is a very correct, big framed ewe, with a beautiful, lustrous, white wool," Mr Wise said.
"She also has amazing softness and handle in her wool.
"She is a standout."
The ewe's run to the top began when it won its class for medium wool Poll Merino ewes over 1.5 years and from there it was sashed the champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ewe over 1.5 years.
The four-tooth, AI-bred ewe, which is by Kamballie Rookie, carried wool figures into the ring of 17.6 micron, 18.2 CV, 3.2 SD and 99.9pc CF.
The reserve grand champion ewe ribbon was collected by the WA College of Agriculture, Harvey, Mornington stud, when a young fine wool ewe from the stud caught the eye of the judges.
Mr Wise said the Mornington ewe was a top woolled ewe but just didn't have the scale and volume of the Manunda ewe.
The ewe stood in the grand champion line-up after being sashed the champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ewe under 1.5 years.
At this point Ms Meaton described the ewe as a lovely fine wool ewe which had very good coverage all over.
The two-tooth ewe is based on breeding from the Tilba Tilba light green family and has wool figures of 17.6 micron, 17.6 CV, 3.1 SD and 100pc CF.
The ewe's run to the top started when it finished first in its class for autumn shorn fine wool Poll Merino ewes under 1.5 years showing no more than two permanent teeth in front of three other ewes.
The Manunda stud exhibited both the reserve champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ewe over 1.5 years and the reserve champion autumn shorn Poll Merino ewe under 1.5 years.
Ms Meaton said the stud's ewe from the under 1.5 years championship was a big-bodied ewe which stood up well.
It had wool figures of 19.4 micron, 17.5 CV, 3.4 SD and 99.5pc CF.
This ewe was in the championship line-up after winning its class for autumn shorn medium wool Poll Merino ewes under 1.5 years in front of five other ewes.
When it came to Manunda's reserve champion over 1.5 years ewe, Mr Wise said it was a well-structured, big barrelled ewe.
"Along with her size and structure, she also carries a nice, soft, white wool," Mr Wise said.
The four-tooth, fine wool ewe is by Banavie 333 and had wool figures of 17.2 micron, 18.6 CV, 3.2 SD and 99.9pc CF.
In the unhoused/unrugged classes it was the Mullan family's Eastville Park stud, Wickepin and the Manunda stud, which took home the major award.
The Eastville Park stud exhibited the champion unhoused/unrugged ram after a classy young sire from the stud won the class in front of six other rams.
When it received its ribbon Mr Teakle said it was an upstanding ram with really good balance.
"He stands up square, is well-covered in good thick wool and has a good topline," Mr Teakle said.
"He is an impressive young ram."
The two-tooth, AI-bred Poll ram is sired by Collinsville Imperial 351 and carried wool figures of 18.2 micron, 3.0 SD, 16.5 CV and 100pc CF.
Standing in reserve to the Eastville Park sire and taking home the reserve champion unhoused/unrugged ram ribbon was a Poll Merino ram from the Merna stud, Quairading.
Mr Teakle said the Merna sire was a well-grown young ram which was well-covered in a quality wool.
The two-tooth ram is by a Merna sire which was sashed the champion unhoused/unrugged ram at the 2019 Perth Royal Show and had wool figures of 18.7 micron, 3.1 SD, 18.6 CV and 100pc CF.
In the unhoused/unrugged ewe classes it was the Manunda stud which came out on top exhibiting the champion ewe.
Ms Meaton said the champion was a unanimous winner in the eyes of the judges.
"She is a lovely, big, square ewe with really good staple length and a good crimp in her wool," Ms Meaton said.
"She is a good all round ewe."
The 2016-drop ewe, which is by Moorundie Geoffrey D347, is the dam of the stud's supreme exhibit from this year's Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Ram Sale and the Make Smoking History Williams Gateway Expo.
Straight out of the paddock the ewe carried wool figures into the ring of 17.6 micron, 3.3 SD, 18.8 CV and 99.9pc CF.
When it came to the reserve champion ewe ribbon it was awarded to a ewe from the Bolt family's Claypans stud, Corrigin.
Ms Meaton said the Claypans ewe was an impressive ewe, with a lovely, soft, white wool.
The ewe was ET-bred by Old Ashrose Will and out of Claypans 1128.
It had wool figures of 18.4 micron, 3.4 SD, 18.5 CV and 99.9pc CF.
