Firsts were flying thick and fast at the 2021 Queensland State Sheep Show at Longreach on Friday - the first time the Coban Merino stud at Cunnamulla had landed one of the best in state ribbons, the first time that the Roselea stud at Muckadilla had won the supreme poll exhibit, and the first time that the same sheep has won a second time as the supreme exhibit of the show.
Mt Ascot Pat, named after the infamous Mitchell bushranger Patrick Kenniff, judged the supreme exhibit of last year's last-minute show, returned from stud duties this year as a two-and-a-half year old ram to earn his second 'red blanket' as the best exhibit for Mitchell's Nigel and Rosemary Brumpton.
"We think a lot of him," Mr Brumpton said. "He's got a great presence, and incredible structure and bone that you don't see on a lot of Merinos."
At the time of the show the medium wool entry weighed 165kg, which Mr Brumpton said highlighted their dual purpose aims.
Merino judge Drew Chapman, president of the NSW Stud Merino Breeders, described him as having the constitution of a Hereford bull.
"He's a marvellous exhibit," he said, while poll Merino judge Alan Harris said he'd caught his eye from the other judging ring because of his sire appeal.
"He has really good wool as well as bone - what more could you ask for in a ram," he said.
Pat was earlier judged the grand champion Merino ram, the Queensland Ram of the Year, and the supreme Merino exhibit.
There was further excitement in the Merino ring when a six-tooth medium wool ewe from Coban was judged Queensland's Ewe of the Year.
"This has never happened in the history of the stud - we're stoked," Coz Burey said. "We knew she was a good ewe, that's why we brought her on the round trip."
The stud was started in 1960 by George Peskett and his son Bill, and then carried on by Bill and his wife Poss before being taken up by their son Jack and Ms Burey.
"You would normally think the judges would go for the younger sheep, that's what we were expecting," an excited Ms Burey said.
The ewe, Coban Alison, was up against a young Roselea poll ewe and judge Drew Chapman said there were tremendous differences separating them, both being unique in their own way.
"Queensland should be proud to have produced two ewes as good as these," he said. "The Coban ewe is the most outstanding ewe you'll ever see - her sheer volume is rarely seen and she has good soft wool on her."
She was sired by an Orrie Cowie ram from South Australia that was purchased at a Dubbo Ram Sale, and was also the grand champion Merino ewe of the show.
Coban also showed the champion strong wool Merino ram and had the junior medium wool Merino ram, which was the reserve champion to Mt Ascot Pat.
The other great excitement of the day came when the Hacker family's Roselea stud at Muckadilla won the supreme ewe of the show award.
This earned the stud the TA Hacker Memorial trophy and stud principal Peter Hacker said he had always wanted to win his father's memorial trophy.
"We've ticked that box now," he said.
The winning ewe was the junior fine wool poll Merino ewe, who was also the grand champion poll Merino ewe, and described by judge Drew Chapman as an exceptional hogget with fantastic fibre.
A Roselea team was also judged Queensland's champion pair and Mr Hacker said their whole poll team had been sired by Poll Boonoke 536, who they really liked for his depth of body and rich, sappy wool.
"He's bred on very well for us," he said.
In a very successful overall showing, all 14 sheep shown by Roselea in both Merino and poll Merino rings collected a ribbon, including Queensland junior ram and ewe of the year and reserve, grand champion Merino ram, grand champion poll Merino ewe, and reserve grand champion poll Merino ram.
The junior Brumptons' Jolly Jumbuck poll Merino stud showed the grand champion poll Merino ram, who had also been judged the champion medium wool poll Merino ram and junior champion poll Merino ram.
He goes back to East Mundulla Masterbuilt, a Western Australian sire that Charlie, Felicity and Lachlan Brumpton liked for his good structure and beautiful white wool.
"It was the wool that got him up but we aim for a dual purpose sheep and he stands up really well too," Charlie said.
Jolly Jumbuck won the poll Merino breeders group trophy and the group of three rams award.
Mt Ascot won the show's Merino aggregate and in the poll section that award went to Roselea.
There were 64 entries in all at the first post-COVID state sheep show, six from Jolly Jumbucks, nine from Coban, 14 from Mt Ascot, 14 from Roselea (poll and Merino), and 23 from Victoria Downs (poll and Merino).
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
