The sheep management skills of Blackall’s Alison Krieg were confirmed with a swag of commercial sheep and wool trophies at the Blackall show.
They included the rare feat of a commercial fleece overcoming housed stud fleeces to be the grand champion fleece of the show.
The pen of long wool, less than four tooth, ewes from Benalla were judged the grand champion pen of ewes and also won the ribbon for champion pen of locally bred ewes.
The champion junior ewe award also went to Ali and Benalla, who bases her flock on Cottage Park bloodlines.
She said the winter 2016 rain was what provided the foundation for the excellent wool cut and quality of the sheep.
Despite that, Ali had to start feeding hay out in December after a year of very below average rain on the property south west of Blackall, continuing for four months until 580 points in early March, followed by another 180 points.
The brothers of the winning flock ewes cut 7.4kg of 18 micron wool, which is yet to be sold.
It was their fleeces that saw Ali receive trophies for champion single fleece, champion flock fleece, and grand champion fleece of the show, as well as champion group of two fine fleeces, reserve champion flock fleece and the Norman and Marion White Memorial Shield for aggregate points in the wool competition.
Flock ewe judge, Wanganella’s Angus Munro, said the 140 sheep penned for competition were a credit to the producers of the central west.
“You are getting more flock entries up here than we do – I’ll be taking some of your ideas back south with me.”
The Turnbull family, Narada, Tambo, continued their success from the previous week at the Tambo Stock Show, having the reserve junior ewe, the champion senior ewe, and the champion lamb, as well as receiving the Lloyd Wood Memorial for champion ewe of the show.
The people’s choice award went to the Macdonald family at Bloomfield, Blackall.
Ian and Deb Macdonald oversaw a wool pavilion packed to the rafters with 202 fleeces from around the central west, a great indication of the resurgence of interest in wool production in the region.
Judged by Landmark wool specialist, David Hart, with the company’s new Queensland wool account manager, Bob Tully, off-siding, they awarded Victoria Downs the housed ram and ewe fleece ribbons.
Margot at Barcaldine had the single strong fleece, while Hazelwood at Isisford showed the single medium fleece.
The two strong fleeces trophy went to Janet Downs, Longreach, and the two medium fleeces trophy to Lambert, Blackall.