JUDGING at the 36th annual Rabobank Dubbo National Merino Show has resulted in the Bensley family’s Stillbrook Stud, Crookwell, exhibiting the grand champion Poll Merino ram with their fine wool August shorn champion.
The ram’s statistics are impressive: 17.5 micron, a 2.8 standard deviation, 16 per cent co-efficient of variation and a comfort factor of 99.6.
The grand champion ram is by the grandson of sire ‘Sir Winston’ who was the Rabobank Australian Supreme at Dubbo in 2002.
John has since been using AI from “The Bluff” stud, South Australia.
In 2002 John introduced ‘Sir Winston’ AI and in 2005 the stud won the coveted Poll Merino group of three rams and two ewes, the Ottway Faulkiner Cup, at Sydney Royal. ‘Sir Winston’ sired the entire winning team.
His most recent champion at Dubbo is sired by the lead ram of that winning Ottway Faulkiner Cup team.
Recently John introduced a new bloodline in the junior champion Poll Merino ram of the 2008 Bendigo Sheep Show exhibited by ‘Coromandel’ Stud, Gairdner WA.
“He is a magnificent Poll ram and his progeny will be for sale in 2010,” said John.
John joins 300 stud ewes a year in his Stillbrook flock and has been a certified potato grower for 30 years in the district.
The Stillbrook on property sale for 2010 will be held on Friday, November 19.
Semen will be available from Dubbo’s Poll Merino grand champion ram after the sale.
John Bensley of Stillbrook Poll Merino Stud with the grand champion Poll Merino ram at the 36th
annual Dubbo National Merino Show.
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