There may be no show at Isisford this year but there have been plenty of ribbons given out, thanks to the annual production wether trial.
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The teams of five wethers running at Janet Downs continued to grow their wool regardless of coronavirus lockdowns, and a very different shearing was organised this year.
"There's usually a team of 15 or 16 of us making a day of it," steward Lauren Tindall said. "This year there was only two shearers, Doug and myself, and Greg Hunt classing."
And the results were well worth it, she said, with the top fleece, from a three-year-old wether, weighed in at 9.2kg.
"The fleeces were magnificent, so white, bright and clean."
Some of that would have been due to the 130 head in the 2019-20 trial sharing the 810ha paddock with only a few horses, along with the great season that that part of the Isisford property enjoyed following the March 2019 rain.
A year later, in March this year, 100mm fell over about a fortnight, which yielded perfect wool-growing conditions.
Ms Tindall said the 16 rising four-year-old wethers whose part in the trial had finished averaged $195 a head at Western Meat Exporters at Charleville.
That income plus the future sale of three to four bales of wool will be a great relief to the Isisford Show committee, which hasn't the usual income opportunities available to it this year.
Ms Tindall paid tribute to all who donated sheep for the trial, including those who added six new teams this year, which adds up to $800 a property for five sheep.
"That's a pretty big gift," she said.
Secretary Kaye Albrand also commended Ergon Energy, who she said was committed to the event despite the show's cancellation.
"They wanted to sponsor us right or wrong, they didn't want their money back," she said.
Results
MILK TEETH:
- Champion pen: Gordonvale (M & K Rigby)
- 2nd: Bimerah (M Campbell)
- 3rd: Janet Downs (D & L Tindall)
OPEN:
- Champion pen: Springleigh (Banks Family)
- 2nd: Notus 1 (P Dean)
- 3rd: Waroona (M & S Pratt)
HIGHEST VALUED FLEECE:
- Milk teeth: Bimerah (M Campbell)
- Open: Springleigh (Banks Family)
HIGHEST VALUED CARCASE:
- Milk teeth: Gordonvale (M & K Rigby)
- Open: Janet Downs (D & L Tindall)
PETER SAMS MEMORIAL TROPHY - Overall Champion Wether:
- Springleigh (Banks Family)
LIFETIME VALUE TEAM TROPHY:
- Boree Downs (C Taylor)