Although postponed for a week, the Landsborough Flock Ewe Show attracted a great crowd and plenty of exhibits on Saturday.
Blackall producers Ben and Oona Banks showed the champion production ewe and had the grand champion pen in the flagship flock ewe competition, which was down slightly in numbers due to drought.
Judge, Barcaldine’s Ben Chandler said that despite not having the frame of some of the other entries, the winning ewe’s fleece was pure quality.
Clark and Tait’s Powella had a very good show, taking out the reserve championship, the champion local pen, the champion pen bred on Queensland bloodlines (Barcaldine Downs), and the aggregate sheep trophy.
Manager Lance Rosenow also collected the trophy for champion pen of Merino wethers.
The wool pavilion showed 115 fleeces, more than has been held there for many years.
Landmark’s Matthew Thomas judged the Fysh family at Acacia Downs to have the champion wether fleece while Rob Fawckner at Bonnie Downs, Corfield showed the champion ewe’s fleece.
Mr Fawckner said he had been lucky enough to have half a season.
Mike and Sue Pratt from Waroona, Stonehenge exhibited the best commercial fleece from both sides of the Tropic of Capricorn.
Bonnie Downs won the aggregate wool trophy, while Acacia Downs took home the aggregate sheep and wool prize.
They were also the aggregate winners in the wether trial and took out the carcase section, while the wool section went to the Hain family at Summer Hill.
In the cattle section, judge Dean Allen gave the best overall pen prize to John Seccombe’s Charbray heifers, which also collected ribbons for best feeder heifers and best pen of replacement heifers.
Mr Seccombe said they had been bred at their Gulf property Coralie and came down to Muttaburra in October last year.
“It just goes to show what putting a bit of Euro over the Brahman can do,” he said. “The Charbrays consistently weigh 30 to 35 kg more than their Brahman counterparts, and I find the light skin is better for hot climates.”
Jesse Atkinson and Kathy Jefferies of Gunnawarra J Brahmans at Crewkerne had the best crossbred heifer pen and were second in the overall award, with the Webb family at Weewondilla third.