TOP SIRE 2026–2027 NSW FIELD DAYS 1– South West Slopes Stud Merino Breeders Field Day Tuesday 2 September 2025 | Harden Murrumburrah Showground Will Roberts summarised the South West Slopes Stud Merino Breeders (SWSSMB) Field Day perfectly when sashing the Ram of the Year, making the comment, “If you can’t find a ram here that suits your needs, you’re just not looking hard enough”. With a record 62 studs from across the state, the SWSSMB Field Day has become the largest exhibition of Merino and Poll Merino stud sheep in NSW. The coveted SWSSMB Ram of the Year title was awarded to the Evans family, Tara Park, Boorowa, by judges Will Roberts, Victoria Downs, Morven, QLD; Hamish McLaren, Nerstane, Woolbrook, and associate judge Luke Meredith, Nevertire. Judges found it hard to look past the 17.6-micron ram from Tara Park, which still had its lambs’ teeth, describing it as a “terrific ram”. Hamish said, “He’s going to grow into a very good sheep. He’s got a beautiful neck extension and wool that carries right through. He’s a terrific ram – he’s got the bone and the purity right through.” A ram exhibited by the Davis family, Demondrille, Murrumburrah, was awarded second place, while the Phillips family, Yarrawonga, Harden, rounded out the top three. The Wendouree Perpetual Shield for Champion Pen of Three Merino Hogget Rams at the event was hotly contested and presented a “wonderful display of what’s happening within the Merino industry” according to Will. “We all know how hard it is to breed one good sheep, but to put three good sheep together is pretty difficult,” he said. Taking home the 2025 trophy was a team from the Davis family’s Demondrille stud, described as “very structurally correct”. “One of the interesting things within our industry is the leaps and bounds the fine wool part of our industry has made,” Will said. “When we look at those sheep, you’ve got a fine wool team then a more medium wool team. Years ago, there was a big jump from the fine wool to medium wools physically, but we can see (in this team) that the fine wool part of our industry has done an incredible job of getting their sheep bigger and more robust. That’s a huge tick as far as I’m concerned.” Second place was awarded to the Chalker family, Lach River, Darbys Falls, ahead of Tara Park, Boorowa, in third. “From my point of view, the processing part of our industry has never had such wonderful wools to deal with,” Will concluded. – 110 –
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