were about to take the Merino breeding world by storm. Industry events shaped the genetic roadmap of where studs would go – and one of the biggest industry shocks was to unload. The reserve price scheme, which provided growers with a safety net, was to be dramatically halted by the then Agriculture Minister John Kerin. Under the scheme no matter what quality fibre was produced, profits were ensured as long as you had fleece weight. Its demise, alongside the world textile trade seeking higher comfort factor, lower microning and better processing wools, saw the studs within John Williams’ stable become some of the most pre-eminent bloodlines in the country. The list of studs John classed was increasing significantly. One addition was Robert Harding’s Glendonald, which he classed from 1988 until his retirement. In the ensuing years, they shared many successes. Glendonald’s record in show and sale rings was outstanding with two Australian Supreme Ram titles, four Australian National Pairs and 22 Grand Champion Ewes at Adelaide Royal, alongside outstanding stud sire sales including 418 for $32,000 and 79 for $30,000. This breeding combination produced sires of massive scale, with many at 170kg plus, and wool cuts exceeding 22kg for sires. Robert Harding commented, “John was an unpretentious man, who had an exceptional ability to select the right skin types for quality while maintaining high cuts.” The number of Merino studs John classed continued to grow with the Darmody family, Wantana, and the Swain family, Genanegie, who won the Grand Champion Ewe at Dubbo National after using the RP Purple sire 1232, working with him. Riverina studs, Hinesville, owned by the Chapman family, and the newly formed Willandra No.2, run by Craig and Caroline Heath, also engaged John Williams as their classer and had success with Purple family cross sires. Both studs won awards for Supreme Exhibit at Dubbo National in different years. Under his classing, major awards were a regular occurrence for his stud clients. The prestigious Australian Supreme Ram title was won across different years by Roseville Park with 1440 and 38, Tara Park with Daddy Long Legs and Glendonald with 2.1 and 404. The National Pair award at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show was another area where his genetics excelled with Roseville Park, Glendonald and Wurrook winning this esteemed trophy. Similar successes were enjoyed at Sydney Royal with Tara Park winning several Supreme Exhibits and multiple Stonehaven Cups. Robert Coddington’s East Roseville was also contributing special sires greatly admired across the industry under John’s classing. East Roseville 3088 bred a huge brace of sires for the Roseville studs. At the 1988 ASBA Show in Melbourne every medium wool ewe award was won with 3088 daughters, while in the sale George Clarke’s Tibeereenah stud, Tara, Queensland, sold a 3088 for $120,000. Other Purple family sires, such as 3178, 18 and 639, were widely used across Australia and internationally, particularly South America. In this period East Roseville also sold 750 embryos. During the early 1990s, studs under John’s guidance were setting record on-property prices and selling vast amounts of semen, furthering the reach of the Purple Manderley family. It should be noted that John always insisted that it was a team effort within the studs he worked for, encouraging them to collaborate among each other. Numerous studs swapped sires and semen at John’s suggestion for the greater good of the Merino industry. John also had a profound effect on the New Zealand Merino industry through his classing of many of the top studs there. His clients included the Paterson family, Armidale Merino stud, the Small family, Blairich Merino stud, and the Jopp family, Moutere Merino stud, who were regular winners of New Zealand’s top awards for their sires and fleeces. Blairich won three New Zealand National Pairs in a row from 2003 to 2005. John classing at Moutere Merino stud in New Zealand– Under John’s profound influence and expert eye many studs in New Zealand were regular winners of top awards, including Moutere. John was instrumental in importing Moutere’s sires, Heavy and Silky, into Australia. – 49 –
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