TOP SIRE 2025–2026 HALL OF FAME John was instrumental in importing semen from Moutere to Australia. Impressed by the Moutere’s lock, fineness and richness, two sires – Heavy and Silky – imported semen into Australia. Sons of these two rams in Australia sold to $55,000. In an article for New Zealand Stud Merino Review, Moutere’s page sums up their relationship with stud classer John Williams perfectly with the following: “THE INDISPENSABLE HAND OF MAN” “At Moutere the experienced hand of man and eye of the stud master and sheep classer have the final say. At Moutere we endeavour to balance the best genetics we can source using modern technology, guided by the indispensable hand of man to produce the productive merino with quality wool.” The relationships John built up with his studs would lead to a significant sire selection and investment in the special sire Merryville “Anzac”. John put together a syndicate of studs, including New Zealand’s John Scurr, Blairich and Armidale studs, alongside Roseville Park and Tara Park as the Australian shareholders. He was purchased for $68,000 – a record for Merryville. The name was coined by Rodney Evans belying the close ties of New Zealand and Australia. Anzac was to breed the house down for his new owners, with Tara Park exhibiting an entire team of Anzac progeny – three rams and two ewes – to win the Stonehaven Cup at the Sydney Royal in 1992. RP44 x Anzac was to become an industry sire evaluation trait leader and, in turn, bred an Australian Supreme Champion Ram in RP38. Graham Coddington called this new family the Purzacs, recognising Anzac and the Purple family ewes. Several other high priced Merryville sires were purchased by John for an array of different stud syndicates. With the industry continuing to finetune wool quality, John’s reputation for selecting the correct skins continued to grow and more studs engaged his services, including fine and superfine studs Wurrook, Grathlyn and Salt Creek. Paul Walton assumed the studmaster role at Wurrook at a young age and worked closely with John, investing in new sires and creating a Williams-style superfine/fine wool of extreme style, nourishment and fibre quality. Paul described his relationship with John, “We invited John to class our sheep at Wurrook in 1992 because he was the classer that was breeding the type of sheep we wanted to have. John was a great mentor and teacher. John had a passion for the type of sheep he bred and classed for – in his mind there was no other type; they were either right or wrong.” “John reduced our average micron by two and increased our average fleece weight by almost 2kg per head. He improved our wool quality from a flat, dry wool to a beautifully crimped, soft, nourished, long stapled wool with a round lock. When we started showing, our sheep weren’t competitive, but with his breeding we rose to winning national pairs and Australian Champion Ram of the Year.” “He had a great understanding and discipline on what bloodline strain of Merino would be suitable to different climates. Even if a sire had the desirable traits, but not the preferred genetic background, he would not use him.” The type of sheep John was producing at Wurrook had stable genetics, making them incredibly potent genetically. Wurrook sold 1140 rams in 2002, while Salt Creek, run by the Coy family, sold 620 rams, demonstrating the influence of John Williams in Victoria. While he didn’t employ John in a classing capacity, John Crawford of Rockbank, Victoria Valley, regarded him as “the best classer of superfine sheep in the country with his ability to understand skins and breeding. We became great mates through mutual respect and a love of hunting.” When not in the sheep yards, John enjoyed big game hunting and had trophies shot around the world. Williams’ ever expanding classing business took him across Australia. Locally around Cooma, he worked with Cottage Park, Adina and Avonside. Further afield, John classed numerous John Williams with staff at Mungadal classing in the dust storm– Rain, wind, sun or dust, John classed under all sorts of weather conditions over his years at the Riverina stud. Photo: Mark Byrne. – 50 –
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