Studs call in family hands

MULTIPLE sections being judged at the same time on the long green mat of the Bendigo Exhibition Centre saw all hands on deck last Saturday.

By Chris Earl

Studs call in family hands - feature photo

MULTIPLE sections being judged at the same time on the long green mat of the Bendigo Exhibition Centre saw all hands on deck last Saturday.

Loddon Valley studs called in helping hands to take prime Merino rams and ewes from their pens for assembly before the judges.

Stud principals like John Humbert were at one end while watching way down the line where grandson Reid Musgrove was calming the ram that would soon be named grand champion.

The family affair of the studs was on show as much as the sheep themselves.

Reid, a Year 11 student at Rochester Secondary College, spends a day a week on work placement with his grandfather.

He said he hoped the practical experience on the farm will lead to a future career.

John said he was proud to see young generations becoming involved in agriculture and assisting studs with their show teams.

Norm Weir entrusted grandson Blake Hamilton, complete with exhibitor lanyard, with keeping some of his show team calm while judges cast their eye over entries and checked the animal’s fleece and body traits.

For the McGauchie’s of Terrick West, it was multiple generations on deck assisting co-principals Ross and daughter Claire.

Among them was their nephew Hector again part of the show team. And Kamarooka Park’s Erroll Hay enlisted grandchildren Lenny and Indi for the day.

“They all love it,” said Erroll.

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30 minutes in the record books

KAMAROOKA Park stud had a sleeting moment of glory days out from the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.

“We actually held the Bendigo Livestock Exchange record for all of about 30 minutes last week,” said principal Erroll Hay.

Erroll had sent a consignment of old ewes to market and fetched a record price of $396 for mutton.

“I was selling through McKean McGregor who had drawn the second lot of sales of the day,” he said. “Elders had drawn fourth and by then the market picked up a bit and reached $400.”