Olinda ram goes one better to snare crown

The grand champion Poll Merino ram came from Don and Brad Eaton’s Olinda stud at Wyalkatchem.

An Angenup ram was in reserve.

The Olinda ram had earlier won his medium wool four-tooth class before being judged as medium wool champion, then grand champion Poll Merino ram.

The four-tooth class win was against 16 other entries in what was the biggest class of the day, with the judges describing him as a great example of a true, dual-purpose sheep.

“He has a huge frame and carries long-stapled, white medium wool, ” judge Peter Rogers said.

Of the Olinda and Angenup rams, Peter Hacker said it had been his toughest decision so far that day.

“They are two great sheep, but the champion had a better poll — clean and scur free, ” Peter Hacker said after the medium wool championship.

The Olinda ram is a grandson of Sir Winston and out of a Wylie daughter, Don said.

“We’ve been showing here for seven or eight years, but this is the first time we’ve got grand champion. The other success was with Wylie in 2007 when he was sashed reserve grand champion, ” he said.

The grand champion Poll Merino ewe was from the Garnett family’s Willemenup stud at Gnowangerup. In reserve was an East Strathglen ewe.

The ewe — making her show debut — had earlier won her medium wool two-tooth class before winning the medium wool championship.

“She is a great bulky ewe with rich, soft, medium wool on her, which is carried to all points, ” judge Peter Hacker said.

The ewe has a Winston background and is sired by Willemenup Rocket 17, Collyn Garnett said.

Other admirable sheep were successful in the fine and strong wool champion categories.

The champion fine wool Poll Merino champion was from the Johnston family’s Merna stud at Quairading. A Westerdale ram was in reserve.

The ram had earlier won his four-tooth class and judge Peter Rogers was high in his praise of the Coromandel two-sired ram. “He has rich, white wool all over his body and has great sire potential, ” Peter said.

The champion fine wool Poll Merino ewe was from Angenup, with a Manunda ewe in reserve.

The champion had earlier won her two-tooth class.

The champion strong wool Poll Merino ram was from East Strathglen with a Claypans ram in reserve.

The champion had earlier won his four-tooth class with judge Tim Della describing the East Strathglen entry as carrying good, white and well-nourished wool.

Michael Campbell’s Coromandel four-tooth ewe was sashed as the strong wool champion Poll Merino ewe. A Willemenup ewe was the reserve champion.

“She has very well-nourished elite wool which runs well down her legs and she’s very well-balanced, ” judge Tim Della said.

The ewe is a full sister to Coromandel 7, the grand champion Poll Merino ram at the 2008 Woolorama.

Woolkabin entries won both ram lamb and ewe lamb championships with Peter Rogers describing the ewe as big, very well finished and with a lot of wool carried down her legs.

“The Poll Merino lamb ram is structurally correct, well-balanced and with plenty of wool on him, ” Tim Della said of the champion ram lamb.