MITCHELL stud Mt Ascot has booked its ticket to the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo after taking out the Queensland pairs competition last Friday.
The Brumpton family claimed the honour at the Queensland Sheep Show, which was held in Cunnamulla for the first time.
Friday's victory means the pair will compete against the best ram and ewe combinations from each state at the annual national show in July.
Mt Ascot stud principal Nigel Brumpton said qualifying for the competition was a real highlight of this year's state show, which also included victories in the Queensland ram and ewe of the year categories, junior champion ram and ewe, as well as the Merino breeders group.
"The pairs competition is the pinnacle of our year really," Mr Brumpton said.
"To be able to go interstate and compete in Bendigo against Australia's best sheep really is the pinnacle.
"Being able to put your sheep in and be really proud of them for getting there is a big thing for us."
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Competition judge Daryl Smith, Glenville Merino stud, Cowell, South Australia, said the pairs structure helped them stand out from the rest of the class.
"They both are very structurally correct and compliment each other really well," Mr Smith said.
"Both of them are very sound underneath, in particular the ewe and I wouldn't mind a few more like her at home."
Despite the Cunnamulla show being cancelled due to recent wet weather, the Queensland Sheep Show went ahead as planned and attracted more than 80 sheep from breeders across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
"The season has been unbelievable, but what is interesting is this is the first show we've been to, normally we would have been to six or seven by now," Mr Brumpton said.
"It's amazing that last year it was COVID that was forcing all of the shows to be cancelled, this year it's all the rain we've been getting, but we're certainly not complaining about the wet.
"Now we'll go to the NSW Sheep Show in May before we head to Bendigo in July."