Heavy fleece wins Wagin title
One of the bulkiest superfine Merino fleeces ever produced in WA was on display at Wagin Woolorama - all 11.8kg of it.
The weighty 15.8-micron spring-shorn fleece, for which Misty Hills stud, Kojonup, was handed the grand champion fleece award, was shorn from the stud's Merino ram, Dictator, sired by Alfoxton 41.
Dictator was highly regarded at the 2014 Perth Royal Show, where it was judged the supreme champion exhibit.
At Woolorama, judge Graeme Luff said the ram's fleece was a very heavy cut for its type and had great character, scoring 95 out of a possible 100 points for traits including character, handle, colour, bloom, length, soundness, evenness and density.
Misty Hills stud principals Russell and Heather Meaton said the ram and its fleece have set a new benchmark for their Merino and Poll Merino program.
"The challenge is to increase fleece weight while maintaining micron and quality," Mr Meaton said.
"One of our goals is to sell genetics through semen sires back to the Eastern States studs that we initially bought from, which is coming to fruition with Dictator.
"We have been getting comments on this ram as being one of the better sons of Alfoxton 41."
Mr Luff said the overall fleece competition, which included 115 entries, was of a high standard.
"It was extremely competitive among the top open fleeces and the non-stud fleeces were of high commercial standards," he said.
The Hambly family, of Boygarra, Beverley, submitted fleeces that won the champion fine and superfine - non-stud awards.
George Hambly runs the fine wool Merino flock, using Belmont Park bloodlines, while son Alan runs the superfine flock, using Misty Hills bloodlines.
The Hamblys have been exhibitors at Woolorama for the past seven years and said a lot of effort went into shearing to produce fine wool and well-presented fleeces.
Champions *
·Grand champion: *Misty Hills, Kojonup *
·Champion strong wool:
Belmont Park, Wagin *
·Champion medium wool: *Angenup, Kojonup *
·Champion fine wool: *Westerdale, Collie *
·Champion superfine: *Misty Hills *
·Champion medium wool, non-stud: *Greg Hyde *
·Champion fine wool, non-stud:
A Hambly, Beverley *
·Champion superfine, non-stud:
A Hambly *
