While numbers were down at the state sheep show in Blackall last weekend, new World Federation of Merino Breeders president, Will Roberts, said it was important to continue the promotion.
Will, who along with wife Narda, had a team from Victoria Downs in action at the show, said the smaller attendance was a reflection of what had happened in the wider wool industry over the past few years, as drought and wild dogs took their toll.
A number of previous NSW stud attendees are experiencing severe drought conditions at present.
“A core of Queensland studs support the event and promote the industry, people like the Pesketts at Cunnamulla, and we saw the top end of what Queensland’s got, right here,” Will said.
“And this is the best I’ve seen – the sheep are big and they’re woolly.
“It’s exciting to see the industry on the front foot again now.”
He said the quality of Queensland’s sheep these days was another reason there was no more “storming by NSW studs”.
“The extra dollars and cents means people are paying for the best genetics and that’s translating to the industry.”
As an example, Will said his stud, Victoria Downs, had paid $18,000 for a poll Merino ram recently, and he knew other studs in Queensland had outlaid significant amounts as well.