After encouragement from their wool classer, The Gums district woolgrowers Ken and Fay Eley, Avondale, returned to the Stanthorpe show and it paid a handsome reward.
Its been many years since the couple have competed in the wool judging at Stanthorpe, and they walked away the grand champion fleece of the show.
Their 15 mircon 4.6kg skirted fleece with a yield of 75 percent and full points on Top Noil products, had an overall score of 93 points.
The couple, along with their son Hayden and daughter-in-law Alyssa run 4800 fine wool Merino ewes on their brigalow melon hole country west of Tara.
A wool producer all his life, Mr Eley says over the years of uncertainity of the wool market, they have remained loyal to wool and produce about 100 bales of 17.2 mircon wool annually.
“We have stuck with wool as this is better sheep country that running cattle or cropping – the returns are better on sheep than anything else,” Mr Eley said.
“It is the best wool growing country in the world I believe.”
The winning fleece was selected after their annual shearing last July by their wool classer Bruce Toms, Fox and Lillie Rural, Stanthorpe.
The fleece will now contest the champions of champions fllece competition at the Warwick show, and then onto Goondiwindi Show.
After it finishes the show circuit, the family will donate the fleece to the Queensland Spinning, Weavers and Firbre Artists to make items that are sold on their display at the forthcoming Brisbane Royal Show with proceeds to benefit the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Mr Eley described the previous wool growing season as pretty tough, although the season has improved this year.
He said while they don’t have wild dogs to deal with, they do have a major problem with feral pigs.
“Due to the drought and the feral pigs our lambing is down to 66 percent,” he said.
“Wild pigs are as bad as dingoes, as they will kill and eat anything and at the moment we’re free on them.”
“The Western Downs Regional Council have conducted two subsidied helicopter shoots in the past six months, and it resulted in 11,000 feral pigs shot in the first round, and a similar number in the second round.
Due to the drought and the feral pigs our lambing is down to 66 percent. Feral pigs are as bad as dingoes and will eat anything.
- Ken Eley
