Bendigo a happy hunting ground for WA studs

An East Mundalla Merino ram, bred by the Gooding family, of Tarin Rock, won the supreme exhibit at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo on the weekend.

The prestigious accolade gives WA an even higher standard of recognition after Tambellup’s East Strathglen stud took out the top award last year.

The East Mundalla 137 was judged supreme earlier in the year at Wagin Woolorama and Williams Expo sheep shows before travelling across the Nullarbor.

Philip Gooding, of East Mundalla, said the ram’s bulky fleece continued to improve in preparation of Bendigo.

“We showed the best of both wool and meat, ” Mr Gooding said.

The 163kg ram had July test figures of 21.1 micron, 3.2 SD, 15.2 CV and a comfort factor of 99.3 per cent.

The strong wool ram won seven ribbons, before going against superfine ewe from Victorian-based stud Rock-Bank for the best of the show.

After winning the highest award in the stud’s history, Mr Gooding said he was pleased to represent WA at his first Bendigo show. He said the ram had fulfilled the stud’s objectives of producing a big-framed heavy cutting Merino with an abundance of quality wool.

Also surpassing any best-yet show awards, a Poll Merino ram from Olinda stud, based in Wyalkatchem, was awarded medium wool ram of the show. The 156kg Poll measured 21.2 micron, 3 SD, 14.2 CV and had a comfort factor of 99.5 per cent.

The Olinda ram will be available for inspection at the Narrogin Long Wool Day on July 29.

Other WA studs to show well at Bendigo included the Cardiff stud, in Yorkrakine, which exhibited the grand champion restricted Merino ram.

The Claypans stud, of Corrigin, claimed the champion strong wool ram, while Darkan’s Rangeview stud won the champion March-shorn ewe in the fine/medium class.

Fifteeen Merino studs and two Dorper studs represented WA at Bendigo.