FOR the second year in a row the Meyer family, Mulloorie stud, Brinkworth, came out on top at the Elders SA Stud Merino Expo at Burra Oval on Tuesday, earning the right to represent the state at the judging of the National Pairs in Bendigo, Vic, in July.
In front of a large crowd, including a strong interstate contingent, WA judge Gavin Norrish from Agenup Merino and Poll Merino stud, described their ram and ewe as "stand outs" from the 13 entries in the Elders champion Merino pair.
He heaped praise on the winning 16-month-olds for their outstanding scale, wool and carcase attributes.
"They have big barrels, long bodies and soft, long-stapled wool and are a great pair which match well together," he said.
Both animals in Mulloorie's 2013 winning pair were progeny of Mulloorie 50, with a ram, Mulloorie Charlie, selling at the 2013 expo for $30,000.
The pre-potency of Mulloorie 50 was again evident in this year's pair, siring the 20.2-micron ram.
The 114.5-kilogram ram had fleece measurements of 3.1 standard deviation, 14.5 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.6pc comfort factor.
The ewe - a daughter of Nyowee 26 - also had impressive test figures being 19.9M with an SD of 2.9, 14.1CV and 99.6CF.
"The family are pretty chuffed," Peter Meyer said.
"It is a real honour to represent SA and to come up two years in a row with four good sheep is a really good thing."
Mulloorie's pair placed ahead of another Poll Merino pair from the Michael family, Nyowee stud, Balaklava and Greenfields stud, Hallett, were third.
In the highly contested Elders Ram of the Year it was a toss up between two Poll Merinos; the eventual winner - an outstanding woolled sheep from Nyowee stud, Balaklava; and Mulloorie stud's ram from their winning pairs which had terrific carcase attributes.
After much deliberation Mr Norrish gave the nod to the Nyowee ram for its "extra nourishment of wool and pureness of muzzle."
The 18-month-old from the stud's own bloodlines tested 20.2M and had a 99CF.
"He has beautiful soft handling wool," Mr Norrish said.
"He was a great sheep today but could well be an even better sheep in six months time."
Merino enthusiasts circled the two stud reserves after judging ended keen to make their own comparisons.
It was a popular win with the Michael family never having won the honour previously.
The ribbons were well spread during the afternoon with Eyre Peninsula - based Roemahkita stud, Cummins, continuing its remarkable run in the all purpose pair of ram lambs class, notching up their third win in four years.
The class of 10 entries, sponsored by Rosenberg Machinery Group Holdings, is judged on conformation, meat and wool attributes including objective measurement.
The two young rams bred by Joe, Tracey and Amelia Dahlitz typified SA's dual-purpose Merino push. The fine-medium wool lambs weighed 82.5kg and 95kg respectively, with eye muscle depths of 35 millimetres and 36mm and fat cover of 7mm and 6mm.
The 18.9M and 19.1M rams had soft handling wool at 99.9CF.
* Full report in Stock Journal, March 20, 2014 issue.
Catherine Miller
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
