Glenpaen Merino stud takes out supreme Merino and grand champion ram

Glenpaen stud takes out double ewe and ram win at Bendigo.

Winning pair: Rod and Sue Miller with son Harry, 16, from Glenpaen Merino stud at Brimpaen with their supreme Merino ewe andgrand champion ram at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. Picture: Chloe Smith .

GETTING one sheep to the top prize round at a show like Bendigo that attracts the best Merino studs from around Australia is impressive.

To have both a ewe and ram from the one property stand as grand champions and then battle it out for supreme exhibit is so rare it has only happened a handful of times in Australian Sheep and Wool Show history.

The feat was achieved by Victorian fine-wool Merino stud Glenpaen at the weekend.

“It has been like a dream really,’’ Rod Miller said. He, along with wife Sue and children Harry, Will, Baylee and Alanna, run an extensive sheep operation at Brimpaen in the shadows of the Grampians.

“It would be interesting to go back through the record books, but apparently it hasn’t been done since the show moved to Bendigo and was only achieved twice in Melbourne.’’

The stud completed its first artificial insemination program in 1989 and now has a base of 700 Merino and Poll Merino stud ewes. It is operated alongside a commercial flock of 4500 sheep which averages 18.5 micron.

The Glenpaen ewe won the supreme exhibit title, and Rod said she was an example of their breeding aim to have strong bodied sheep capable of cutting a big fleece of quality white wool in their (usually) wet winter climate.

“What got the ewe over the line was she is so deep and barrelled and yet still very feminine and carried a beautiful fleece,’’ Rod said. “You’ve got to keep that balance between carcass and wool, as if you concentrate too much on carcass you end up sacrificing wool cut and you need both to be working for you as a bit of both makes money.’’

The two-year-old ewe was bred by AI from the Merino sire Willandra GP and had a micron of 19.2.

The grand champion ram was a two-year-old Merino by home-bred sire, Glenpaen Magic and had a 17.5 micron fleece.

“When one of your own rams breeds on like he has, it’s pretty pleasing and a sign you are on the right track,’’ he said.

The ram went on to sell for the equal top price of $26,000 at the show’s ram sale, finishing off a spectacular weekend for the Millers. The stud also won reserve champion Victorian Merino pair.

HONOUR ROLL

MERINO

SUPREME AND GRAND CHAMPION EWE

Glenpaen, Brimpaen

GRAND CHAMPION RAM

Glenpaen

ULTRAFINE

Ram: Grathlyn, Mudgee, NSW

Ewe: Grathlyn

SUPERFINE

Ram: Trefusis, Ross, Tasmania

Ewe: Wurrook, Rokewood

FINE

Ram: Glenpaen

Ewe: Nerstane, Woolbrook, NSW

FINE/MEDIUM

Ram: Glenpaen

Ewe: Glenpaen

MEDIUM

Ram: North Ashrose,

Bundaleer, SA

Ewe: Coromandel, Gairdner, WA

STRONG

Ram: Kolindale, Kulin, WA

Ewe: Willandra, Jerilderie, NSW

VICTORIAN PAIR OF THE YEAR

Eilan Donan, Elphinstone

INTERBREED

SUPREME LONG WOOL

Glenlee Park (Border Leicester)

SUPREME SHORT WOOL

Mallee Park (Poll Dorset)

SUPREME CLEAN SKIN

Ardene (Australian White)

SUPREME LONG WOOL GROUP

Bindaree (Border Leicester)

SUPREME SHORT WOOL GROUP

Hillden (Poll Dorset)

CHAMPION CLEAN SKIN GROUP

Ardene (Australian White)

AUSTRALIAN WHITE

Ram: Ardene, Darlington

Ewe: Ardene

BLACK AND COLOURED

Ram: Werowna Park, Yass, NSW

Ewe: Werowna Park

BORDER LEICESTER

Ram: Bindaree, Merrygoen, NSW

Ewe: Glenlee Park, Glenlee

CHEVIOT

Ram: Chain Gate,

Wagga Wagga, NSW

Ewe: Chain Gate

CORRIEDALE

Ram: Gambier View, Derrinallum

Ewe: Sweetfield, Mount Moriac

DOHNE

Ram: Glen Holme,

Ewe: N/A

DORPER

Ram: Kaya, Narrogin, WA

Ewe: Dell African, Moama, NSW

DORSET DOWN

Ram: Woodhall, New Gisborne

Ewe: Woodhall

DORSET HORN

Ram: Redline,

West Wyalong, NSW

Ewe: N/A

ENGLISH LEICESTER

Ram: Koenarl, Timboon

Ewe: Koenarl

HAMPSHIRE DOWN

Ram: Aurora Park,

St Helens Plains

Ewe: Aurora Park

LINCOLN

Ram: Garvald, Byaduk

Ewe: Garvald

PERENDALE

Ram: Mount Monmot, Skipton

Ewe: Mount Monmot

POLL DORSET

Ram: Springwaters, Boorowa, NSW

Ewe: Mallee Park, Hopetoun

POLWARTH

Ram: Riverview, New Norfolk, Tasmania

Ewe: Taljar, King Island

ROMNEY

Ram: Tintern Grammar,

Ringwood East

Ewe: Tintern

SHROPSHIRE

Ram: Clarendon, Strathbogie

Ewe: Clarendon

SAMM

Ram: Lawral Park Prime,

Ungarra, SA

Ewe: Galaxy Park, Tintinara, SA

SOUTH SUFFOLK

Ram: Willow Drive, Grassmere

Ewe: Willow Drive

SOUTHDOWN

Ram: Yentrac, Burrumbeet

Ewe: N/A

SUFFOLK

Ram: Sayla Park, Kilmore

Ewe: Curlew Valley, Manoora

TEXEL

Ram: Mertex, Antwerp

Ewe: Mertex

WHITE DORPER

Ram: Kaya

Ewe: Dell African

WHITE SUFFOLK

Ram: Rene, Culcairn, NSW

Ewe: Mertex

WILTIPOLL

Ram: Reavesdale, Murringo, NSW

Ewe: Reavesdale

WILTSHIRE HORN

Ram: O’Loghlin, Deniliquin, NSW

Ewe: O’Loghlin