WIMMERA sheep producers showcased their prized flocks at last week’s Sheepvention in Hamilton.
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The event celebrated 40 years since its inception, with producers travelling from across the country to compete.
Following its success at the recent Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Antwerp’s Mertex Texel and White Suffolk Stud came home with multiple wins.
For its white suffolks, the stud won Most Successful Ram Exhibitor, Most Successful White Suffolk Exhibitor and Junior Champion Ram. It had four first placings, three second placings and four third placings.
For its for its texels, the stud won Reserve Champion Ewe, and placed second in Short Wooled Interbreed of one ram and two ewes. The texels had two first placings, six second placings and two third placings
Principal Basil Joregensen said he was very pleased with the result.
“We were very happy with how they went,” he said. “We were especially pleased that the Supreme Texel Ram of the show was sired by our Mertex 2012 ram.”
He said the crowds had been quiet at the event this year.
“It was reasonably quiet client-wise, but I think that might have been due to the weather; a lot of other producers were saying the same thing,” he said.
“But we did have a few new clients show interest in the white suffolks.”
Next on the calendar for the stud is next month’s Royal Adelaide Show.
“We went last year for the first time – it’s a big deal and goes for five days,” he said. “It’s a big white suffolk show and we hope to get our name out there more.”
The stud will then head to the Royal Melbourne Show.
St Helens Plains’ Aurora Park Hampshire Down owner Mathew Hill also attended Sheepvention with team of nine exhibits.
“I got Reserve Champion Lamb, Most Successful Exhibitor and Sire Progeny Pair group class,” he said.
“I’ve been to Sheepvention a couple of times before and I had some fairly tough competition from NSW and Gippsland producers. There was quite a lot of interest from commercial breeders.”