WIMMERA sheep studs have tasted success at Sheepvention this week.
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The two-day event ran from Monday to Tuesday this week.
St Arnaud’s Oakbank stud won grand champion merino ram, champion strong wool ram, champion medium wool poll ram, champion medium wool poll ewe and champion strong wool poll ram.
Horsham wool handler Zack Currie placed second in the senior wood handling competition.
Glenpaen Merino and Poll Merino Stud, Brimpaen, placed fourth for the pen of five rams.
Glenlee Park stud won reserve champion for its border Leicester ram and ewe.
Mallee Park Poll Dorset stud, Hopetoun, won champion poll dorset ewe, junior champion poll dorset ram and supreme poll dorset exhibit.
Mertex Texel stud, Antwerp, won champion texel ewe, reserve texel ram. champion white suffolk ewe and reserve white suffolk ram.
Southern Grampians Shire mayor Mary-Ann Brown said strong wool and lamb prices had everyone in a positive mood for the event’s 39th year. “We’ve got good sheep prices and wool at a five-year high and this is a terrific opportunity to celebrate that,” she said.
Cr Brown said Sheepvention’s growing popularity showed the importance of the industry to the western district.
“But it’s not all about the sheep, there’s really something here for everyone,” she said.
Former journalist and author Rachael Treasure officially opened Sheepvention on Monday and shared a message of regenerative agriculture.
“I know for a fact sheep and grasslands can save our planet,” she said. “Everything in life is linked with our soils. Therefore we farmers hold the future of humanity in our hands.
“Never have graziers and croppers been on the cusp of such positive agricultural opportunity as we are right now.” Ms Treasure celebrated the work of innovative farmers who were leading the way in reducing the use of phosphates, herbicides and pesticides.