Heavy-cutting type caught the judges eye in Ted Little Trundle’s top wool growing operations were on show at the 33rd annual Ted Little Memorial Merino Ewe Competition, where for the second year in a row, Cranley and Georgie Gowing claimed the champion title with their Darriwell-blood ewes. Their April/May-drop ewes caught the eye of judges Darcy Howard, MCC Howard Oliver, Cowra, and Angus Munro, Merrygoen, who commended their heavycutting type with the density, staple length and surface area to match. The Gowing’s farm “Lowan”, Trundle, where they join over 1000 ewes each year. Their breeding aim is to produce quality, bold, medium-to-strong wool with the flock averaging 20.8-micron in their main fleece line. James and Elise Nixon, “Leewang”, Trundle, placed second with their run of July-drop ewes. Their flock, shorn on an eight-month cycle, producing 19.6-micron wool, is based on Bundemar genetics and classed by Tom Kirk. Competition spectator voting placed Chris and Sarah Kilby, “Mordialloc”, Trundle, at the top for their July/ August-drop ewes, backing up their Dual-Purpose Award from the previous year. For the first time, the Trundle competition also invited entries from local prime lamb producers, with the crossbred ewes of young farmers Matt and Demi Watt, “Feltonwood”, Trundle, claiming the Grant Nixon Memorial Encouragement Award. New committee President, Boyd Aveyard, said his vision for the event would see it shift to resemble more of an industry day, rather than a show-and-tell competition. “We are making a big step because the Merino job has got to be good enough to also produce a lamb for a different market,” he said, describing the expansion of the competition to include other breeds as a “breath of fresh air”. Boyd continued that young farmers had joined the committee recently and were driving the new agenda. “We want to make more money per sheep. We want to produce lambs, grow wool and plant crops.” Both the Gowing’s and Nixon’s went on to represent the Trundle region in the Central Western PA&H Associations Maiden Merino Ewe Competition on Thursday 5 March. 33rd Ted Little Memorial Merino Ewe Competition (Trundle) | Thursday 19 February 2026 Photo captions. 1– Judges Darcy Howard and Angus Munro with the 2026 competition winner Cranley Gowing, “Lowan”, Trundle (centre). 2– James, Elise and Rosie Nixon, “Leewang”, Trundle, with their second-placed flock. (Photos: Supplied) 1– 2– – 121 –
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