Agriculture
25 July, 2026
Norm’s clip just fleece-tastic!
NORM Weir has taken out the Victorian championship at the Australian Fleece Competition.
NORM Weir has taken out the Victorian championship at the Australian Fleece Competition.
The Dunluce farmer and member of the Loddon Valley Merino Stud Breeders’ Association won the coveted award with his fleece that had earlier been named winner in medium wool Merino fleece.
With an average mean micron of 19.5, the fleece from Norm’s Kerrilyn Stud was also among the heaviest in the competition judged at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo last week.
Judges awarded the fleece maximum points for staple length, noil and mid-breaks. The total score was 90.45 out of 100.
The strong Merino class was also taken out by Kerrilyn that also had an average mean micron of 19.5 and received maximum judging points for fibre length in the wool top and the top’s co-efficient of variation rating.
“We’ve been medium and strong wool fleece champions before and also the most successful exhibitor.
“But this is the first time we’ve taken out the Victorian championship,” he said.
The champion fleece came from the stud’s show rams last year.
Norm said the last few seasons had been tougher for the region with fleeces finer and lighter.
“This year we are back to around 20 micron and average 7kg-8kg whereas last season we were around 6kg and 19 micron,” he said.
“It’s looking like a good year and we’re finally getting water in the dams after the rains a fortnight ago ... 60-70mm has been a relief.
“Even the small creeks are running around Dunluce for the first time in three years.
“They are talking about a bad El Nino but this rain will get us through to harvest although a bit of a spring top up would be good. It assures us that we’ll get the header out.”
It was the 25th year of the fleece competition, started after sheep show organisers including Peter Vanrenen, of Logan, said they wanted to build the show in future years after its initial move from Melbourne to Bendigo.
The competition now attracts more than 400 fleeces, which are fully tested and judged against both objective and subjective measures to select the nation’s best each year.
Competition convenor and Nutrien Ag Solutions wool account manager, Candice Cordy, said the Australian Fleece Competition was unique in the world because of the use of fleece measurement.
“The use of fleece measurement also lines up with what we have seen in the broader sheep and wool industries, with the introduction and evolution of sheep breeding values and other tested elements for livestock production,” Candice said.
“People are very invested and involved in bringing out the best in their sheep, refining the art of breeding for better wool quality and an animal which is productive and profitable. “The competition judging method provides relevant feedback to wool growers on producing wools which meet the processing requirements of wool supply chain.
“We’ve seen strong support and interest from wool growers from right across the county again this year, with entries continuing to grow year on year.”
Read More: Loddon Shire