It has been a triumphant return to the show ring for Drew and Laura Chapman this year, taking home the Sydney Royal Easter Show Merino section’s highest honour when their Poll Merino ram was sashed Supreme Merino Exhibit.
West Plains 119, also known as Zodiac, was described as “hard to fault” by judges.
The ram was by Glenlea Park 180030 and out of a four-generation ET-bred ewe and had wool figures of 18.4-micron, standard deviation of 2.7-micron, coefficient of variation of 14.6 per cent and 99.6% comfort factor.
The win backs up a strong performance at Bathurst’s Great Southern Supreme Merino Show in February where it was named Supreme Poll Merino Exhibit.
Up against Zodiac for the top honour was supreme ewe exhibit Thalabah 081, known as Ally, exhibited by the Frost family, Thalabah, Laggan which was described as being “maxed out for productivity” by judges earlier in the day.
Presiding over the Merinos were judges Matthew Coddington, Roseville Park, Dubbo (fine); Ross McGauchie, Terrick West, Prairie, Victoria (fine/medium); Andrew Rayner, Grathlyn, Hargraves (ultrafine); Bruce Dunbabin, Mayfield, Tasmania (superfine) and Richard House, Barloo, Gnowangerup, Western Australia (medium and strong).
When sashing the supreme exhibit, Andrew Rayner said they had “two outstanding individuals” on the mat.
“The ewe is exceptional for her type - she’s big, she’s bulky, there’s plenty of wool there and she’s square,” he said. “Everything is right - but everything she’s got right, the ram just does a little bit better.”
The ewe, which was AWTA Grand Champion Merino Ewe at Bathurst, tested 17.5-micron with a 3.2-micron SD, 18.4% CV and 99.7% CF.
Both Zodiac and Ally went on to claim champion titles in the production classes.
The ram scored 488.5 points out of a possible 500 with a wool valuation of $193.47 for 19.1 kilograms of wool. It also scanned 47 square centimetres for eye muscle area, with a fat depth of five millimetres and body weight of 124kg.
The ewe scored 380.5 out of 500 with a wool valuation of $139.99 for 11.6kg of wool. Its eye muscle was recorded as 37cm2 and weighed in at 81.5kg.
Thalabah’s success continued in the pairs section, claiming the 2024 RAS Pair of The Year title with ram Thalabah 340 and Ally.
The 2024 National Pair of the Year was awarded to the Lette family, Conrayn, Berridale who exhibited ram Conrayn 832 and ewe Conrayn 813, which claimed the 2023 Tom Culley award.
They will go on to represent NSW at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo in July.
Many years of trying to win the Tom Culley Award for Best Junior Exhibit finally paid off for Armidale’s Alfoxton stud, claiming the title with August-shorn Poll ram Alfoxton 697.
The judges commented on its “magnificent fleece” during sashing, with the ram exhibiting 19.3-micron wool with a 2.6-micron SD, 13.2% CV and 99.8% CF.
Supreme Merino Exhibit at the Sydney Royal Easter Show was awarded to "Zodiac", exhibited by Drew and Laura Chapman, West Plains Poll, Delegate.
L-R: Judges Matthew Coddington, Roseville Park, Dubbo; Ross McGauchie, Terrick West, Prairie, Victoria; Andrew Rayner, Grathlyn, Hargraves; Bruce Dunbabin, Mayfield, Tasmania and Richard House, Barloo, Gnowangerup, Western Australia with Laura and Drew Chapman.
Supreme Ewe of the Sydney Royal Easter Show was "Ally", exhibited by the Frost family, Thalabah, Laggan. L-R: Sadie, Jack, Krisi, Sam and Anthony Frost with Nicky Merriman, Boorowa and Rick Power, Nutrien.