TOP SIRE 2026–2027 HALL OF FAME With the stud breeding direction set and the addition of One Oak North adding 16,000 acres to the operation, One Oak was ready to make a mark on the industry. Throughout the 1970s, ram sale teams were prepared and taken to multi-vendor sales across the country, gaining new clients and building the stud’s profile. The 1970s were hard years for the industry, presenting financial challenges and placing strain on Merino studs’ viability. On reflection, Graham credits his “family and Christian faith in helping get through”. The 1980s, however, created opportunities for the industry, with frozen semen and laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI) technological developments proving game changers for the Merino industry and One Oak. Graham wished to create more depth through his stud and began laparoscoping 5000 ewes to his absolute top bred sires as well as introduced sires. “I felt at the time, the use of AI gave us the ability to use our special sires over large numbers of ewes. That lifted the stud enormously, with the bottom half of the stud really gaining in quality,” Graham remarked. Sires of impact in this program included two Collinsville sires, JC&S77 and JC&S122 “Bicentenary”, which sold for $330,000. Both were an influential cross for Riverina conditions. In later years, the use of ET became their most important breeding tool, with ewes with depth of breeding mated to impact sires taking the stud to new levels. Influential One Oak-bred sires, “William 2” and Poll sire “Columbus”, were both used extensively in the stud industry. In the latter years of the stud, ET sires Roseville Park 14 and White River “Kaladoona” were stand-out sire additions. To Graham, the show circuit was a chance to compete with the nation’s top studs and he recalls that One Oak “usually held our own at the top level”. One of the highlights of their showing career was when One Oak “Elizabeth” was sashed Supreme Exhibit at Dubbo in 1984. Other successes at the Dubbo National included winning the City of Dubbo Breeder’s Group in 1994 as well as the champion group of five sale rams in 1996 and 2000. In 1992, they won the Grand Champion Medium/Strong Ewe at Melbourne with “Alexandra”, followed by a Riverina Ram of the Year title for One Oak No.2 in 1998. Another unforgettable achievement was when One Oak “Alby” won the Supreme Exhibit of the 2010 Adelaide Royal. In 2013, another One Oak ram was sashed the Australian Supreme Ram of the Year at Dubbo, which went on to sell for $25,000 to Kurrajong Park. One Oak also proved competitive in group classes with memorable wins in the Lionel Weatherly breeders’ group at Melbourne in 1996, the Murray Thomas at the Adelaide Royal Show, the 2014 White Rivers breeders’ group and the champion breeders group at the 1987 Queensland State Sheep Show, Toowoomba. One Oak’s Champion Pen of Five Rams at Dubbo National 1996– The Wells family holding their winning team with (L–R) Natasha, Alby, Bevan Jolly, Elders Stud Stock specialist with clock prize, Mary, Alistair and Graham. – 48 –
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