Australian Fleece Competition: The Blight family of Seymour Park win WA State fleece award at Bendigo

The highest award winning fleece from WA was a 22.9 micron entry from the Blight family of Seymour Park stud in Highbury that took out the WA State champion prize at the Australian Fleece Competition. The national competition attracted 343 entries in its 22nd year and was part of the Australian Sheep and Wool Show, in Bendigo from July 14 to 16. Seymour Park stud co-principal Clinton Blight has been a regular supporter of the show and has repeated his win from last year taking out the WA State best fleece award with a 89 point total against the grand champion fleece entered by NSW-based Shalimar Park Merino stud that scored 95.78 points. The Blight family’s 94.2 comfort factor fleece that placed first in the strong Merino class 23 (22.1 micron and stronger — Merino stud ram) measured 22.9 micron, 19.7 coefficient of variation, 128mm staple length, and a staple strength of 56 Newtons per kilotex and had a value of $138. It received most of its points (38) for weight and also had accumulative points for eight other criteria including hauteur, CVH, noil, strength, mid break, evenness, colour and style. The Rintoul family, of Tilba Tilba stud in Williams, won a most valuable award with their fine Merino fleece entry in class 15 (18.6 to 19.5 micron — Merino stud ewe or wether). The 18.8 micron Tilba Tilba fleece shorn from a stud ewe placed fifth in its class with a score of 88.55 points and measured 16.8 CVD, 128mm SL and a measured a 99.3 CF with a commercial fleece value of $125. The judges included Modiano Australia director of wool buying Lou Morsch and Nutrien Ag Solutions stud stock agent John McGrath. They commented that the depth of quality was the best they had seen in their judging at the show. Mr McGrath said particular attention was made to the brightness and cleanliness of the fleeces.