2016 Sydney Royal Easter Show
This year the RAS had designated Corriedales as the Feature Breed in the sheep section to celebrate 100 years of formal showing.
The RAS also offered two sites, one for marketing the breed and another to hold the cocktail party to celebrate the occasion. The executive called on all stud breeders to be part of the two week event with the aim of getting 100 entries. That was achieved which was the highest number for over fifty years. Mr Peter Blackwood from Tasmania was invited to judge the event and both he and his wife Claire became very much part of the celebration.
Competition was fierce and of a high standard. The champion ram was drawn from the 1½ -2 year old class and was exhibited by the Manchester family of the Roseville stud. It was very fitting that the President, Tony Manchester, won this centenary event. The reserve champion ram came from Tymec, who had entered the largest team, to help reach our 100 entries.
In the ewe section, Badgally gained grand champion ewe, again drawn from the 1½ - 2 year old class. This was also very fitting as Badgally has shown consistently every year for the last twenty five years. The reserve champion went to Roseville.
The most successful exhibitor was won by Badgally.
On the night of judging, a special cocktail party was held, sponsored by the AWI, who have given amazing support to our breed with spectacular results in the price of our wools. Over eighty guests came and a book that the executive had commissioned Richard Carter to write was presented to official guests from the RAS, the AWI and some of our life members – and of course the judge. The book had been financed by the fourteen studs who paid to advertise and put their story in it. On the cover was a painting by Margaret Shepherd painted specially for the occasion. The painting was successfully auctioned on the night and purchased by Mr Craig Turner (a former Federal President) after a particularly spirited auction run by our Secretary, Mr Rick Hoolihan. The whole cocktail party had been organised by Mr Henry Thompson, the branch Social Director – brilliantly, as usual.
Meanwhile the stand, which was the best site in the shed, had to be put together the day before judging. The Eskbank stud (Lithgow High) prepared a map of the world showing where Corriedales had spread and Badgally (St Gregory’s) had prepared a history of their stud in pictures, which was used as backdrop. The AWI supplied models along with the Spinners and Weavers Guild and both supplied beautiful garments all made from Corriedale wool. As an example of Corriedale fleece wool, the champion Corriedale fleece, exhibited by Rose-Lea stood in front of the stand.
On a bed, Velieris supplied a Corriedale wool doona and ETC supplied a 75 year old Corriedale wool blanket and their Corriedale throws. Roseville had scarves and spun wool on show and the Billigaboo ram “Frisco” stood ready for the next two week program.
The site had been arranged by the President, the Carters, and Sophie Ellis from ETC. By the next day, judging day, a new generation suggested some changes (Zack, Badgally, and Josh, Eskbank,) which we all gratefully accepted.
The task of manning the site for two full weeks was always going to be enormous. Luckily Royce Pitchford, from South Australia, recipient of an AWI award, and fellow Corriedale breeder, worked for six days, non-stop. Our branch can’t thank him enough. Everyone else pulled together and made it all happen. We got state-wide TV coverage, an interview on ABC Country Hour, some three or four other radio interviews, a long visit from a famous movie star and her family and probably 250,000 people.
Tens of thousands of pictures were taken of “Frisco” which will have gone all over the world.
The enthusiasm from everyone made the whole show a wonderful success and we cannot thank the RAS and the AWI enough. We look forward to the next century.
Rick Hoolihan
Detailed results:
CLASS: 550 - CORRIEDALE - Ram, under 1 year old, showing milk teeth only.
1 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
2 ESKBANK LITHGOW NSW 2790
3 BILLIGABOO NARRANDERA NSW 2700
4 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
5 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
6 Highly Commended BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
CLASS: 551 - CORRIEDALE - Ram, under 1 year old, showing milk teeth only; closely and evenly shorn after 1st February.
1 BILLIGABOO NARRANDERA NSW 2700
2 ROSE-LEA RYDAL NSW 2790
3 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
4 MERRIGAL MERRIWA NSW 2329
CLASS: 552 - CORRIEDALE - Ram, 1 year old and under 2 years.
1 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
2 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
3 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
4 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
CLASS: 553 - CORRIEDALE - Ram, 1 year old and under 2 years; closely and evenly shorn after 1st February.
1 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
2 BILLIGABOO NARRANDERA NSW 2700
3 ESKBANK LITHGOW NSW 2790
4 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
CLASS: 554 - CORRIEDALE - Ram, 2 years old and over.
1 ESKBANK LITHGOW NSW 2790
2 BILLIGABOO NARRANDERA NSW 2700
3 ROSE-LEA RYDAL NSW 2790
CLASS: 555 - CORRIEDALE - Pair of Rams, under 2 years.
1 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
CLASS: S556 - CORRIEDALE - GRAND CHAMPION CORRIEDALE RAM.
Winner 175 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
CLASS: S557 - CORRIEDALE - RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION CORRIEDALE RAM.
Winner 194 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
CLASS: 558 - CORRIEDALE - Objective Measurement Class.
1 ROSE-LEA RYDAL NSW 2790
2 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
3 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
CLASS: S559 - CORRIEDALE - BEST HEADED CORRIEDALE RAM. Open to any Corriedale Ram exhibited in General Classes.
Winner BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
CLASS: 560 - CORRIEDALE - Ram with best Sires Fleece.
1 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
CLASS: 561 - CORRIEDALE - Ewe, under 1 year old, showing milk teeth only.
1 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
2 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
3 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
4 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
CLASS: 562 - CORRIEDALE - Ewe, under 1 year old, showing milk teeth only; closely and evenly shorn after 1st February.
1 ROSE-LEA RYDAL NSW 2790
2 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
3 ALL SAINTS BATHURST NSW 2795
CLASS: 563 - CORRIEDALE - Ewe, 1 year old and under 2 years.
1 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
2 ALL SAINTS BATHURST NSW 2795
3 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
4 ROSE-LEA RYDAL NSW 2790
CLASS: 564 - CORRIEDALE - Ewe, 1 year old and under 2 years, closely and evenly shorn after 1st February.
1 MERRIGAL MERRIWA NSW 2329
2 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
3 MERRIGAL MERRIWA NSW 2329
CLASS: 565 - CORRIEDALE - Ewe, 2 years old and over.
1 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
2 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
3 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
CLASS: 566 - CORRIEDALE - Pair of Ewes, under 2 years.
1 TYMEC LAGGAN NSW 2583
2 ROSE-LEA RYDAL NSW 2790
CLASS: S567 - CORRIEDALE - GRAND CHAMPION CORRIEDALE EWE.
Winner BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
CLASS: S568 - CORRIEDALE - RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION CORRIEDALE EWE.
Winner ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
CLASS: 569 - CORRIEDALE - Peter Taylor Group. Consisting of one ram and two ewes, showing milk teeth only, exhibited and bred by one Owner and selected from Exhibits in the General Classes.
1 BADGALLY GREGORY HILLS NSW 2557
2 ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587
3 ROSE-LEA RYDAL NSW 2790
CLASS: S570 - CORRIEDALE - MOST SUCCESSFUL CORRIEDALE EXHIBITOR
Winner ROSEVILLE KINGSVALE NSW 2587