Agriculture
10 June, 2024
Simon gets national show judging gig
SHEEP at Australia’s premier show will be judged by Simon Coutts when they are penned in Bendigo next month. The Willera Merino’s manager will be one of nine judges of Merino sections at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. Simon believes he will...
SHEEP at Australia’s premier show will be judged by Simon Coutts when they are penned in Bendigo next month.
The Willera Merino’s manager will be one of nine judges of Merino sections at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.
Simon believes he will be one of just a few, if not the first, from a Loddon stud to be on the judging team at the show.
“It’s quite an honour to be asked to judge at this show and a recognition of what we are doing in the industry,” Simon said.
He will join judges from New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria for two days of judging Australia’s top Merinos. Simon has been allocated the all-purpose (wool) sections at the show.
Previously judging at the Victorian Sheep Show in Ballarat and the South-West Victorian Field Day, Simon said: “When you are judging it’s important to keep an open mind and have respect for everyone’s sheep.”
“You have to appreciate the effort studs have put into preparing the sheep and always be objective,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter how many sheep a stud sells or how big they, it is the sheep in front of you that you are judging.”
Simon has been stud manager at Willera Merinos for eight years and was previously at Bob Rollinson’s Concordia Merino Stud at Mysia.
He said it was rare for anyone from a Loddon stud to judge at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. “Most studs around here are exhibitors and that rules people out of judging.
“However, while we will be displaying our rams at Bendigo, we are not exhibiting in the competitions.”
Following the Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Loddon studs will prepare their annual on-property ram sales from August offering top progeny for sale to studs and commercial farmers.