WITH the sunshine streaming into the sheep pavilion, the heady smell of lanolin in the air and the quiet rumble of farmer chit chat across pens there was no mistaking Tasmania’s premier sheep and wool show was well under way on Friday in Campbell Town.
From the big rounded noses of huge Corriedeale rams to the jiggling tails of the Polwarth lambs it was the best of the best on display and judges had a huge job on their hands working out which stock would take home the ribbons.
Meat breed entries were well up on last year, and Nutrien livestock agent and sheep committee chair Will Millhouse, from Epping Forest, in his first year running the competition, couldn’t have been happier.
“We had everything from traditional British-bred meat sheep through to Dorpers which were only added to the show program two years ago,” he said.
Outstanding results on the day included Georgina Wallace, of Trefusis, taking out Most Successful Exhibitor in the Corrie- dale Section, Supreme Champion Wool Breed Ram and Grand Champion Merino or Poll Merino Ram and Paul Day, of Sunnybanks, with the Supreme Champion Prime Lamb Bred Ram.
“Of course Merinos still dominate in the wool breeds, and their numbers were boosted with the addition of Merino display pens
plus a superfine display of Saxon Merinos, organised by Simon Cameron, of Kingston Estate,” Mr Millhouse said.
“The superfine display really shows off what sheep studs can produce on a commercial scale and was the perfect introduction to the state’s fines wool producers for attendees at the Australian Superfine Breeders dinner on the Saturday night.”
The superfine display was a natural drawcard for more than 60 interstate and international delegates in Tasmania to attend the annual reunion of the Australian Superfine Woolgrowers Association held at Launceston Country Club on Saturday.
With 16 sheep on display from eight growers plus a wool display there was plenty of interest from locals and visitors alike.
“It really demonstrates the traditional superfine sheep in Tasmania and the terrific wool they produce,” Mr Cameron said.
International luxury clothing company Zegna Group and its founder Paolo Zegna, from Italy, announced the winners of their annual national wool competition the Ermenegildo Zegna Group Vellus Aureum International Trophy (Golden Fleece) for fleeces
of 13.9 micron or finer, which was won by a fleece measuring a world record 9.4 microns for fineness.
The Ermenegildo Zegna Group Extrafine Wool Trophy, for a line of wool from 1 to 5 bales, was won by Mr Cameron who entered a single bale that scored 94.5 out of a possible 100, just pipping a southern Queensland entry on 94.2. Fellow Tasmanians Allan and Carol Phillips, from Glen Stuart, came fifth and Sam and Mel Nicholson, from Bonnie’s Plains, came sixth.
All 10 finalists have their wool automatically purchased by Zeg
na Group at 50 per cent above the current market value.
In the wool section the standard was also extremely high, according to Midlands Agricultural Association executive committee member and wool chair Matilda Scott. “There was a great display from all over the state with Merino, Polwarth and Corriedale breeds well supported,” she said. The Vitale Barbaris Canonico fleece competition of old New England wool for fleeces 18.5 microns or finer attracted 23 entries, most achieving between 14-17 microns, and was won by Bruce Dunbabin’s Mayfield Estate, at Little Swanport.
In the commercial section weight and visual scores also figured in the points earned with the Most Valuable Fleece going to Bothwell’s Rockford Pastoral with a fleece valued at $110.
In three separate micron groups the winners were Connorville Station, Rockford, and Forton, at Epping Forest.
In the stud sections the Grand Champion Fleece went to Georgina Wallace, of Trefusis, Champion Corriedale Fleece to Blackwood Corriedales and Champion Polwarth Fleece to Riverview.
All the wool displayed at the show is either donated by the growers for the MAA to sell, or entered in other shows such as the Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo in July or the Longford Show later in the year.