TOP SIRE 2026–2027 NSW SHOW AND SALE RESULTS Great Southern Supreme Merino Show Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 February 2026 | Bathurst Showground A fine wool ram from the Evans family’s Tara Park stud at Boorowa won its way to the top of the 2026 Great Southern Supreme Merino Show, taking home the Supreme Exhibit broad ribbon. There was a strong field of 220 Merino and Poll Merino sheep from 21 studs on display at the event, held at the Bathurst Showgrounds. Tara Park 21273, a four-tooth Merino ram, competed through the fine wool March shorn classes before lining up against the show’s other grand champions. Tasked with judging for the three-day event were Stuart McBurnie, Weealla and Raby, Balladoran, Andrew Rayner, Grathlyn and Lynford Poll, Hargraves, and Murray Power, Airlie, Walcha, with Toby Haylock, Elders, Yass, as associate judge. When delivering comments on behalf of the judges, Stuart said the “power” of the Tara Park ram stood out. “The big thing for us was the bone in him,” he said. “He’s got a massive muzzle and real sire appeal with a beautiful, sweet wool all over and right down. We’re talking about Merino sheep here, and we need to keep the focus on the wool cut and the productivity of the wool, along with the dual-purpose aspects of carcass traits. He was combining those two things in the fine wool,” Stuart continued. Tara Park also found success in the group classes, taking home the Roger Birtles Trophy for champion March shorn group of five. Guy Evans said they were pleasing results for the stud and also praised the Great Southern Supreme Merino Show committee. “This show is getting more progressive all the time. There’s so much positive talk about it and a lot of people are really liking the change of location here to Bathurst,” he said. The March Shorn Pair was won by the Pittman family, Glenburnie, Walcha. “The Glenburnie ram matched the ewe very well,” Stuart said when awarding the champion ribbon. “As pairs, it’s about more than having one good sheep and these are peas in a pod.” Bedgerabong’s Karowara Plains Poll Merino stud had a successful show, taking home several broad ribbons, including Supreme Junior Exhibit. Karowara Plains 20071 was exhibited by Ken and Kim Noakes, along with daughter Sarah who paraded the ewe to victory through the August shorn fine/medium classes. It picked up ribbons for Champion August Shorn Fine/Medium Poll Merino Ewe, Champion August Shorn Poll Merino Ewe, Grand Champion Poll Merino Ewe and Junior Champion Ewe before finally claiming the overall supreme ribbon. It was sired by Poll Boonoke 200780, which was the Australian Supreme Merino Ram in 2022. When awarding the Junior Champion Ewe ribbon, Stuart said Karowara Plains 20071 displayed “sheer volume”. “She’s a very productive ewe,” he said. “She’s wide through the hip and deep through the body. She’s got barrel and growth.” Kim Noakes said it was a great result for the stud, which was experiencing a tough season at Bedgerabong. “It’s probably one of the driest mid seasons that we’ve had. We only had 140mm for the growing season,” he said. Judges described it as a “very productive ewe”. Toby Haylock said, “She’s going to fill out into a cracking ewe if she keeps going. (She has) wool right down to her points, high-quality wool and she’s just a really, really good sheep.” He added, “For a sheep that’s essentially a lamb, she’s an exceptionally productive, really well grown animal.” Karowara Plains also exhibited the Junior Champion August Shorn Poll Merino Ram, which was by the same sire as the ewe. Karowara Plains 20077 won its way through the two-tooth fine/ medium classes, placing as Reserve Champion August Shorn Fine/Medium Poll Merino Ram earlier in the day. The best Poll Merino exhibit was awarded to fine wool entry Greenland 21925 from the Alcock family’s Greenland stud, Bungarby. The four-tooth ram, a grandson of Roseville Park 81, carried a 16.9-micron fleece and had already proven successful in the show ring, winning Supreme Exhibit at the Nimmitabel Show. When passing comment, Stuart said they were presented with a “tremendous” line up of Poll Merino rams. “The champion is so rich and pure in his wool with a big barrel.” Both the junior handling and junior judging classes were wellsupported by local students and future stud breeders, with many trying their hand at the competition for the first time. In the junior judging, Sam Frost of Thalabah, Laggan, placed first, followed by Rory Hutchison from the local St Stanislaus College and Jack Frost, also Thalabah, in third. In the junior handler competition, Poppy McLaren of Nerstane, Walcha, topped the table, followed by Joe Chalker, Lach River, Darbys Falls, and Brendan Mitchell, St Stanislaus, Bathurst. – 78 –
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