Longford Show fleece defy dry season for amazing results

Note: Full fleece results at end of story

Tip your hat to the owners of sheep at Forton at Epping Forest and Rockford at Bothwell next time you drive past - they’re producing the best wool in the state despite coming through a particularly dry winter.

A fleece from Scott Reardon’s stud Rockford took out Grand Champion Stud Ram and Most Valuable Fleece at Longford Show on Wednesday, the 11.78kg bundle of wool valued at $177.

Anthony Gunn at Forton was awarded the Grand Champion Fleece and Tom Talbot Perpetual Trophy for wool that amazed judges Mel Morris and Damien Whiteley from Elders and Andrew Murfet from Nutrien.

Andrew described the 18-micron fleece as “a magnificent-looking fibre - a very good weight, especially for a ewe fleece, with exceptional crimp, softness and yield”.

“The best of Tasmanian wool is here, representing even more properties than you see at Campbell Town Show, with most coming from throughout the midlands, Bothwell and East Coast,” he said.

“What is impressive is that it's been a tough, dry year, particularly south of Epping Forest, but the fleeces don’t represent that because they’ve been picked over well and the sheep are well managed.”

Longford Show attracted a record 128 fleeces from 51 properties from as far south as Bruny Island with particularly strong representation from the east coast.

“Fleece weights seem to be up a bit and that’s surprising considering the dry year, we’ve judged some well-bred wools and the colour was quite exceptional - really white and bright,” Andrew said.

“It’s testament to the skills and dedication of the fair dinkum wool growers who have stood the test of time and stuck with wool.

“Their ability to keep ahead of the game with genetics and the quality of sheep and wool is exceptional.”

While Merino wool dominated the display, which will be a highlight of the Longford Show in the Tom Talbot Pavilion on Saturday, three Corriedale fleeces were also in the mix.

The Tom Talbot Trophy was established in 2019 to honour a local legend and wool industry pioneer who was also a long-time manager and fleece steward of the show’s wool pavilion.

Longford Show is this Saturday, October 17, 9am-4pm at the showgrounds in Hobhouse St.

Showjumping and kennel show from 8.30am, sheep judging and wood chopping from 9am, shearing from 10am, sheaf tossing from 11am, junior sheep handling finals at 1.30pm and interbreed sheep judging at 2pm are just some of the traditional agricultural showcase events.

Children will be drawn to sideshow alley, the animal nursery, Boris Zagrocki and his extreme bicycle stunts, circus workshops and television characters Bluey, Bingo, Mario, Luigi and KPop Demon Hunters.

Fleece results:

Ultra fine Merino: Glen Stuart (Weight 3.05, Score 74.5) 1, White Gum Wool (3.68, 73.5) 2, Lower Marshes (3.56, 73) 3.

Super fine Merino: Dalness (6.26, 81) 1, Bay Thorne (5.44, 77) 2, Plassy (3.44, 73.5).

Fine Merino: Forton (6.92, 82.5) 1, Connorville (7.1, 81.5) 2, Strenshalm (6.4, 79.5) 3.

Medium Merino: Rockford (7.76, 81) 1, Connorville (7, 79.5) 2, Forton (8.12, 79) 3.

Corriedale: Quamby Plains (5.06, 75) 1.

8-month Shorn fleece Merino: Formosa (8.53, 78) 1, Formosa (7.5, 77) 2, Formosa (4.9,75) 3.

Rams Merino Superfine: Glen Mavis (6, 79.5) 1, Glen Mavis (6.72, 78.5) 2.

Rams Merio Medium: Rockford (11.83, 83) 1.

Grand Champion Fleece: Forton (6.92, 82.5).

Most Valuable Fleece: Rockford (19.7 micron, 11.78kg, $177)