Woolly Corriedale ewes judged, then shorn

Press, 12 November 1985, Page 38

Woolly Corriedale ewes judged, then shorn

A new feature class for Corriedale sheep at this, week’s Canterbury show will involve the sheep being judged in the wool and rejudged as shorn sheep. Their fleeces will be tested and the points combined. Twenty entries have been received for this section open to ewes under 18 months old and which have not been shorn as lambs. The wool will be tested for micron measurement and yield by the Wool Testing Authority. Judging will comprise 25 points for the woolly sheep, 25 points for the shorn sheep, wool quality will be worth 25 points, and wool value 25 points. The Corriedale section is the most heavily supported in the sheep show with 234 entries. Several special trophies will be up for grabs, including the James Little Memorial Cup for the exhibitor with the most points

for sheep of his own breeding, and the San Pedro Trophy for the best-headed ram. The Killik Aike Trophy, presented in 1957 by Don Carlos Felton, of Rio Gallegos, Argentina, will be won by the stud ram with the best sire’s fleece. To cater for the recent upsurge in interest in fine wools, two superfine classes have been added to the Merino section. They are for rams and ewes of any age whose fleeces have a wool count of 18 microns or finer. Another interesting part of the sheep competition will be the Dorset Down commercial ram class. Dorset Downs filled four of the first six placings in the Export Lamb Sire section at the Ellesmere A. and P. show. There were 38 entries in that class from many breeds. Two breeds exhibited at the show, but not competing, will be the Drysdale,

and the Cormo, a cross between Corriedale and Merino. The Cormo sheep have been bred by Mr T. H. Ensor, of Cheviot, and are similar to the Polwarth breed. Their wool, has a micron count of 23-24 at the fine end, and carcases are lean. Mr Ensor said Cormos were quite popular in Victoria in Australia. He will have a woolly ram and a shorn ram at the show. Because objective measurement has become very important when selling New Zealand wool, all wool entries (with the exception of the black and coloured section) will be tested for yield and fibre diameter. Organisers believe Canterbury is the only show in the world where objective measurement is taken into account in judging.