Grogansworth Merino Stud in Bowning celebrated two successes at the annual Australian Fleece Competition in Bendigo, Victoria last weekend.
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The local farm came second place twice in the Fine Medium Stud Ewe or Wether and Medium Stud Ewe or Wether categories with its merino wool fleeces. A pleasing result, amidst the largest fully measured fleece competition in the world.
The competition is run by Landmark, the Australian Wool Testing Authority and Australian Sheep Breeders’ Association as part of the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. Grogansworth was one of 446 entries this year.
The stud, home to some 10,000 sheep, is known for producing heavy cutting, fine to medium wool merinos. Behind the family-owned operation is Kim Henderson and his wife Roxanna, his son George and his wife Alanna.
George Henderson is a third generation farmer and headed down to the show on Friday.
One of his winning fleeces weighed in at a staggering 8.5kg and that was after it had been skirted, which means its unusable parts had been removed.
The fleece was judged on its strength, length, style and evenness.
Candice Cordy, convener of the Australian Fleece Competition, said each fleece is carefully “reviewed to make sure they’re relevant to the wool exporting trade.”
The Hendersons were up against competition from over 300 other fleeces and were pleased with the result. Grogansworth’s top fleece would be worth around $117, according to Mr Henderson.
In other years, the stud has won champion commercial value fleece at the competition.
“It’s a good promotion; helps to market the rams,” Mr Henderson said of the recognition.
The fleece was taken from sheep sheered in May/June this year before things got worse with the drought.
“It had been a good season up until May,” Mr Henderson said. “Then it started to get drier and drier.
“It’s not a great season now, but in saying that, there’s time for it to turn around in this area. It’s still cold here, but if we get good rain, we can have a reasonable spring; it’s just a matter of if it comes or not.
“I was speaking to a few people from other states in Bendigo for the show and there are certainly areas that are drier; far worse than this area.”
Mr Henderson said the farm had to sell a few more sheep than usual this season and spend money on feed.
President of the Australian Sheep Breeders Association Ross McGauchie said that the drought hadn’t affected show entries this year, but probably would next year.
“The drought may have more of an effect on next year’s entries as they will be this year’s lambs, but a lot of this year’s entries were sheep that had already been fed up and in sheds in the previous season.”
Next on the agenda is the South West Slopes Stud Merino Breeders Field Day on Tuesday 4 September at Harden Showgrounds.