Kolindale stud claims supreme Merino

Having claimed its first supreme title at the Wagin Woolorama, the ram named Lustre 73, was a red hot favourite to do the same at Williams and it certainly did, as it again impressed the judges with its wool and carcase production traits.

To win one supreme title in a year is hard enough, but to win two back-to-back is something special and something not many studs achieve.

CHAMPIONS

So when Lustre 73 was announced as the supreme champion exhibit at the expo, it was another special piece of history for the Kolindale stud records.

The win also marked the first time the Kolindale stud had claimed the supreme ribbon at the Williams Gateway Expo, meaning yet again another new name would be added to the expo's honour board.

The strong woolled ram attracted the judge's eye early in the day and made its presence felt in the ring, ensuring it couldn't be overlooked for the day's top award.

However it wasn't always easy going for the Kolindale sire as it didn't have it all its own way despite its impressive outlook and production traits, as it had to overcome 135 exhibits from 16 other studs before being sashed the supreme exhibit of the show.

Pushing it right to the final judging were two extremely impressive exhibits - an upstanding medium wool ewe from the Wise family's Wililoo stud, Woodanilling, which was sashed the champion ewe of show and prior to that it was the grand champion Merino ram from the Rintoul family's Auburn Valley stud, Williams, when they stood next to each other for the champion ram of show award.

When the Kolindale ram ram and Wililoo ewe, were lined up for the supreme judging, it was a tussle as the judges considered the virtues of both, however in the end the ram got the nod from the judges in a unanimous decision.

When the ram was announced the Expo's supreme champion, judge Rod Norrish, Angenup stud, Kojonup, said they were two very good sheep standing in front of the judges at the end of the day with both being very good examples of their types.

"In the end we went for the Kolindale sire and he was a unanimous choice for us as the supreme champion," Mr Norrish said.

"He was a clear winner.

"He has just stood head and shoulders both physically and literally above everything else today.

"He is a big upstanding ram, who is really hard to fault and he just seems to be getting better and better as the year goes on.

"He has an unbelievable topline and the quality of his wool for his size is tremendous.

"His wool is soft, rich, bright and white and he also has plenty of staple length.

"He also has a real sire's head, which is something I really liked.

"He has a huge jaw and a big, soft, silky muzzle."

The upstanding, four-tooth, AI-bred ram is by Wallaloo Park 422 and out of a Kolindale Majestic 439 ewe.

Along with taking home the top award and champion ram of show title, the ram was also sashed the grand champion Poll Merino ram.

The ram started on its winning ways when it won its class for strong wool Poll Merino rams in front of nine other rams and was sashed the champion strong wool Poll Merino ram.

At this point judge Ray Edmonds, Calingiri, described the ram as an outstanding animal.

"He is a big ram with a tremendous head and muzzle and a beautiful topline for his big body," Mr Edmonds said.

"He also has a beautiful strong wool all over and there is plenty of it.

"He is a great example of a modern Poll Merino sire and a real credit to the Kolindale stud."

Pushing the Kolindale ram for the top award at the end of the day as the sun went down, was champion ewe of show from the Wililoo stud, which had earlier been sashed the grand champion Poll Merino ewe.

When the well-built ewe from Wililoo was sashed the grand champion Poll Merino ewe, judge Iain Nicholson, Boorabbin and Colvin Park studs, New Norcia, said it was an outstanding ewe.

"She is very feminine and has a really long, soft muzzle and a beautiful top notch," Mr Nicholson said.

"She also stands up very well and has good width through the shoulders which flows all the way through.

"When it comes to her it is well-nourished, white and bright and there is plenty of it."

The Wililoo ewe earned the right to compete for the grand champion ribbon after it won its class for medium wool Poll Merino ewes ahead of six other ewes and was sashed the champion medium wool Poll Merino ewe.

When it received this ribbon, Mr Edmonds said the ewe was a beautifully made, heavy cutting animal.

"She stands up well and is well filled in," he said.

"She also has a very good medium wool all over.

"She is virtually faultless and a real credit to the breeders."

The four-tooth ewe, which is by Moorundie 061, is no stranger to broad ribbons as it was sashed the champion medium wool Poll Merino ewe and grand champion Poll Merino ewe at Wagin Woolorama.

It was not only Wililoo's medium wool ewe, which caught the eye of judges in the Poll Merino ewe judging.

So too did a strong ewe from the stud which was sashed the reserve grand champion Poll Merino ewe.

When this ewe received its reserve grand champion ribbon, Mr Nicholson said it was a well-shaped ewe with good size and a beautiful ewe.

Prior to being sashed the reserve grand champion, the upstanding four-tooth ewe won the class for strong wool Poll Merino ewes and was sashed the champion strong wool Poll Merino ewe.

At this point Mr Edmonds described the ewe as a big, solid ewe.

"She is a beautiful ewe with very good size and an outstanding wool," he said.

The ewe carries Moorundie bloodlines.

The reserve grand champion Poll Merino ram ribbon was claimed by the Lewis family's Lewisdale stud, Wickepin, when a fine-medium wool ram from its stable stood out for the judges.

Mr Norrish said the Lewisdale ram was a great bulky animal.

"He has a great front end and a nourished, free-growing, white, fine-medium wool all over," he said.

"He is a real dual-purpose sheep with tremendous wool and meat production."

The Lewisdale ram stood in the grand championship line-up after winning its class for fine-medium wool Poll Merino rams and being sashed the champion fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram in front of eight other rams.

At this point Mr Norrish said the Lewisdale ram was an easy winner due to its extra bulk and bone.

"He is a fairly faultless animal," he said.

The four-tooth ram was sashed the champion fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram at Woolorama.

The ram is by a Lewisdale sire, which is a son of George.

In the superfine wool ram class it was a ram from the King family's Rangeview stud, Darkan, which claimed the champion superfine wool Poll Merino ram ribbon.

Mr Nicholson said the Rangeview ram was covered in a magnificent superfine wool which was even in its crimp all over.

"His wool opens up beautifully and is well-nourished," he said.

"He is also well-structured and has good size."

The four-tooth ram is by CP Thunder.

The reserve champion superfine wool Poll Merino ram was exhibited by the Rintoul family's Tilba Tilba stud, Williams.

Mr Nicholson said the Tilba Tilba ram was well-balanced ram but it just didn't have the style and nourishment in the wool of the champion.

When it came to the fine wool Poll Merino ram class, it was a ram from the Kirk family's Sunny View stud, Wagin, which came out on top and was sashed the champion fine wool Poll Merino ram.

Mr Nicholson said the Sunny View ram stood up well and was well-structured.

"He also has very good fine wool which is white and bright and handles very well," he said.

The four-tooth ram, which carries Manunda bloodlines, claimed the champion ribbon ahead of five other rams in its class.

The reserve champion fine wool Poll Merino ram was exhibited by the Rangeview stud and Mr Nicholson said the four-tooth ram by Rangeview 901, was well-covered from head to toe and would cut a power of very good fine wool.

The champion fine wool Poll Merino ewe ribbon was awarded by Mr Norrish to a four-tooth ewe, carrying Alfoxton bloodlines from the Tilba Tilba stud.

Mr Norrish said the ewe was a true fine wool type.

"She shows great style and nourishment in her wool and is well-built and well-covered," he said.

Standing to the Tilba Tilba ewe and claiming the reserve champion fine wool Poll Merino ewe ribbon was a four-tooth ewe from the Auburn Valley stud, carrying Westerdale bloodlines in its pedigree on the sire's side.

Mr Norrish said the Auburn Valley ewe was a great bulky, heavy cutting ewe.

"She has a long-stapled, white wool all over," he said.

In the fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe class it was a ewe from the Mullan family's Quailerup West stud, Wickepin, which took top honours and was sashed the champion fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe.

Mr Norrish said the Quailerup West ewe was extremely soft throughout from her muzzle through to her wool.

"Her wool opens up freely and has great style and excellent softness," he said.

"She also has plenty of bulk in her wool as well."

The four-tooth ewe is ET-bred by Nerstane 22.

The Auburn Valley stud claimed the reserve champion fine-medium wool Poll Merino ewe ribbon with a four-tooth ewe by a Rhamily sire, which was sired by Poll Boonoke 180137.

Mr Norrish said the Auburn Valley ewe was a very bulky sheep and a heavy cutter but it just didn't have the handle in the wool as the champion.

The reserve champion fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram was exhibited by the Jackson family's Westerdale stud, McAlinden.

Mr Norrish said the Westerdale ram had tremendous finish and plenty of staple length but it just didn't have the size and scale of the champion.

The four-tooth AI-bred ram is by Glenlea Park 382.

After receiving the reserve champion ribbon in the fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram class, the Westerdale stud went one better in the medium wool section.

In the class for medium wool Poll Merino rams, an impressive woolled ram from the stud claimed the champion medium wool Poll Merino ram ribbon ahead of nine other rams, while the reserve champion ribbon went to a sire from the Lewisdale stud.

Mr Norrish said it was a very hard decision to split the Westerdale and Lewisdale rams as they were two very good sires but also very different types.

"In the end I went for the Westerdale ram as it carried a very study wool and had more finish than the Lewisdale ram," he said.

"The Westerdale ram has very good wool coverage and is well-made."

The four-tooth Westerdale ram is AI-bred and sired by Glenlea Park 382.

When the Westerdale ram received the champion ribbon it meant it went one step further in the judging than it did at Wagin Woolorama where it was sashed the reserve champion medium wool Poll Merino ram.

When it came to the Lewisdale ram, Mr Norrish said it was a big framed ram with a beautiful, soft, free growing wool.

"While its wool is very good, it just didn't have the quantity and finish of the champion," he said.

The four-tooth Lewisdale ram goes back to Seymour Park George.

The Maher family's Rockdale Valley stud, Muntadgin, exhibited the reserve champion medium wool Poll Merino ewe.

The four-tooth ewe, from a syndicate joining, was described by Mr Edmonds to be a good bodied ewe with plenty of wool cutting ability.

Standing in the reserve position to Kolindale's supreme champion in the strong wool Poll Merino ram class was a ram from the Eckersley family's Darijon stud, Narrogin, when it was sashed the reserve champion strong wool Poll Merino ram.

Mr Edmonds said the Darijon ram didn't have the scale of the Kolindale champion, but it did have a power of wool on it.

"He has very good strong wool all over and is a very heavy cutting type," he said.

Collecting the reserve champion strong wool Poll Merino ewe ribbon was a ewe from the Mullan family's Eastville Park stud, Wickepin.

Mr Edmonds said the Eastville Park ewe had a good long body and carried a well-nourished, free-growing strong wool.

The four-tooth ET-bred ewe is by Collinsville Emperor and out of a ewe sired by Eastville Park Bomber.