Although Stanley Vale didn't exhibit sheep or wool at the 2017 Sydney Royal Easter Show we put some wool forward for the auction & headed down to Sydney for a couple of days R&R. Having the wool sale at the showgrounds instead of out at Yenora is a new Easter show tradition and makes for a great atmposhere.

The fine hoggets line we put up topped the auction that week at 2850 c/kg, well above its reserve price. This makes it is one of the highest selling lots (if not the highest) for the year. Being held inside a Perspex boss all the action is on display for the 10s of thousands of visitors to the show. A live video link in the main shed showing the daily tally of wool sold adds to the spectacle with many show visitors overheard expressing surprise that over $9.5 million of wool was sold in a day.

Stanley Vale sold the highest price lot at the auction at the show

As well as being an opportunity for socialising, catching up and exercising the liver the show is also a good time to identify potential outside sires. There was an impressive line-up of sheep in the shed and congrats much go to Demondrille for taking out Supreme Merino exhibit with their Fine-Medium Ram, Supreme Merino Ewe & grand champion fleece of the show.

​ The Tuesday of the show always brings with it a few sore heads but also the excitement of the objective measurement class. In the objective measurement class all entrants are shorn, their fleeces weighed and valued. The animal is then weighed and has a fat and EMD measurement taken before being given a point score which focuses on the animals confirmation and structure .Congrats to Adina for taking out the ewe classes with a 91 kg ewe who cut 13.6 kg of 18.2micron wool. Full results are given in the pictures below and to Merryville who finished on top in the Ram section.

​ This year Greg Boutcher was named the wool Champion of the RAS, a stalwart of the Superfine ring for well over 20 years Greg has mentored many new stewards and the award is very much deserved. A special congrats to Jason Hoadley and the Hoadley family from, New Plains Stud, Blayney who picked up Grand Champion Ultrafine Ewe at his first ever Sydney show. It's always great to see young entrants into the industry being rewarded for their hard work.

Champions young and old, Jason Hoadley of New Plains, Blayney with the Grand Champion Ultrafine Ewe and Greg Boutcher, Champion of the RAS