Agriculture
24 July, 2023
John picks the right fleece
WHEN shearing finished in John Humbert’s shed in March, he put aside what he considered the best fleeces from the Kedleston Park Stud’s first clip of the year. Over the next three months, spare time was spent picking through the special clips...
WHEN shearing finished in John Humbert’s shed in March, he put aside what he considered the best fleeces from the Kedleston Park Stud’s first clip of the year.
Over the next three months, spare time was spent picking through the special clips and selecting entries for the Australian Fleece Competition.
“I’d spend time going over each fleece, hopefully picking the right one,” he said on Sunday after winning the performance class section for the second time in three years with a 17.8 micron fleece shorn on March 7.
And this year, the Calival stud went better by winning the performance class championship and the most valuable fleece award in his section.
John Farrer, of Elanvale, Pyramid Hill, made it a top two Loddon finish with his commercial flock 19.7 micron fleece being awarded the reserve champion flock.
Many exhibited fleeces, including’s the one entered by John Farrer, have been donated for auction with funds raised to be donated to Down Syndrome Australia. The fleece competition has now raised more than $204,000 for charity over more than 20 years. Australian Fleece Competition Convenor and Nutrien wool account manager Candice Cordy said the performance classes showcased fleeces from wool growers who shear at six to eight-month intervals.
“Each fleece is fully tested to Australian Wool Testing Authority standards and also judged subjectively by a judging panel
“It’s the largest fully measured fleece competition in the world and provides a benchmarking opportunity for exhibitors, and is a forum for woolgrowers and stud breeders to showcase their fleece to a wider national audience.”
Meanwhile, Mr Humbert is hoping for the rise in wool markets before the traditional mid-year break was a sign of better prices this year.
“Wool prices went up in the last couple of sales before the recess,” he said.
“Whether this is a signal of improvement after the break we don’t know.”
Australian Wool Innovation reported a buoyant sale room atmosphere last week with the most well sought-after commodity being Merino wools from 19 to 22 micron that were pushed up three per cent.