Ewe beauty supreme win for Mullan family

The Mullan family, of Wickepin, have backed up their Perth Royal Show supreme exhibit award from 2019, winning the title again on the weekend, but this time it was a Poll Merino ewe from their Quailerup West stud that was sashed with the top prize.

The over 1.5 year-old ewe, exhibited by Quailerup West studmaster Todd Mullan, was an unanimous hit with the four judges, with its pure white, lustrous and long stapled fleece.

The Perth Royal Show’s Merino and Poll Merino judging took place over two days on Saturday and Sunday, with 96 entries.

On Saturday, before the judging commenced, there was a minute silence to reflect on the life of Narrogin Merino stud breeder Richard Chadwick, who died on Wednesday, after being diagnosed with cancer.

As principal of Darijon Merino stud, he was a long standing member of the Stud Merino Breeders Association of WA and was the current Narrogin Districts Sheep Breeders' Association president.

With COVID travel restrictions in place, this year’s four judges were sourced locally and included fine wool judge Heather Meaton, of Kojonup, medium wool judge Rick Wise, of Woodanilling, and strong wool judge Nathan Teakle, of Northamption, plus associate judge Lauren Rayner, of Narrogin.

Mr Wise said the ewe they unanimously picked for the supreme award prize was in good company with the quality presented throughout the show.

“We selected the ewe because of her extra whiteness and lustre in the fleece,” he said.

The ewe was earlier sashed fine wool Poll Merino champion ewe before going on to be awarded the grand champion Poll Merino ewe of the show, was an unexpected surprise for the Mullan family.

Speaking on behalf of Todd Mullan, was his brother Grantly Mullan, who said the ewe’s embryo transfer breeding was through Poll Merino AI sire Coromandel 7 that was bred at the Campbell family’s Coromadel Poll Merino stud in Gairdner.

“The Coromandel sire was selected for our Quailerup West stud program for its early growth maturity and its quality white, bright and well nourished fleece, capable of withstanding high rainfall environments,” Grantly said.

“The ET-bred ewe’s win today also confirms that our ET program is on track.

“Our winning group of three ewes were all ET-bred.”

During the supreme judging, there were six grand champions in the line-up from five different studs, representing superfine, fine, medium and strong wool types, giving the judges many challenges to select their top pick.

There were two autumn shorn grand champions including a strong wool Poll Merino ram, exhibited by the Bolt family, of Claypans stud, in Corrigin, and a medium wool Poll Merino ewe, exhibited by the Button family, of Manunda stud, in Tammin.

The other three grand champion winners to stand against the Quailerup West ewe included a medium wool Poll Merino ram, exhibited by the McLagan family, of Miling, a Tilba Tilba superfine Merino ewe exhibited by the Rintoul family, of Williams, and a Quailerup West medium wool Poll Merino ram exhibited by the Mullan family, of Wickepin.

In the prestigious autumn shorn group of three rams class judging, with six entries, the winning award and prize of $3000, sponsored by Elders, was presented to the Bolt family, of Claypans Poll Merino stud, in Corrigin.

During the unhoused and unrugged competition, the judges sashed two champions including an 18.2 micron 2-tooth ram exhibited by the Mullan family, of Eastville Park stud, in Wickepin, and a five-year-old Poll Merino ewe exhibited by the Button family, of Manunda stud, in Tammin.

Manunda stud co-principal Wayne Button said the ewe was the dam of the supreme award winning Poll Merino ram that his family exhibited at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo in Katanning in August.