THIS year’s Ultimate Clip Superfine wool growing champions have the dual honour of being announced the competition’s 20th winners, and also its last.
Finalists from each of the five regions involved in the New England Wool Ultimate Clip Awards were gathered at a gala dinner in Manly last month for the announcement of this year’s national superfine wool growing champions.
The honour was awarded to an Uralla couple, Chris Dunne and Linda Waters (EFW/NE). Second place was awarded to The Wood Family, also from Uralla (JW/URALLA), and third place was awarded jointly to Grahame and Wendy Baxter from Guyra (GDB/NE) and Wiley, Roy and David Reeves and families of Grabben Gullen (BIA-GRAB).
As national award winners, Chris Dunne and Linda Waters received a trophy and a trip to Italy to visit the spinning and weaving mills of Reda and Barberis where they will also receive a length of high-end suiting fabric from one of these prestigious companies.
“Chris and Linda prepared an outstanding clip this year,” New England Wool Managing Director Andrew Blanch said.
“They are two of the most passionate and dedicated wool growers I know. Every year they seek feedback on their clip and then work to incorporate that feedback into what they’re doing.
“This season is the culmination of some serious hard work and some great improvements. They are truly deserving of this award.”
Chris and Linda’s win sums up the spirit of the Ultimate Clip competition which has always been an avenue for providing valuable information to growers about the type of wool that New England Wool seeks to purchase on behalf of its shareholders.
In announcing this year’s national winners, Andrew Blanch also noted that 2013 would be the end of an era for the Ultimate Clip Competition.
“Where one door closes, opportunity arises,” he said. “While this year will be the competitions’ last in its current format, New England Wool and its Italian-based shareholders Successori Reda and Vitale Barberis Canonico are making new plans for the future.”
(breakout panel)
ULTIMATE CLIP 2013 NATIONAL AWARDS
Judges comments:
First Place Nationally – Chris Dunne and Linda Waters of Enmore, via Uralla NSW.
EFW /NE
Classer: Frank Bates
Judges: Andrew Blanch and Murray Bragg.
“Chris and Linda are two of the most dedicated and devoted people I know when it comes to breeding and preparing the best wool clip”, Mr Blanch said.
“Each year they ask me to go through their clip to point out areas where they can improve – which is becoming more difficult for me as time goes by. Constructive criticism is taken as a challenge by this couple, and the improvements can be seen in the following season’s clip. 72 per cent of all fleece lines were valued into our best spinner types, while 98 per cent of the entire clip was suitable in one way or another for our clients”.
Mr Bragg noted how well the skirtings were prepared. “The brokens and bellies from both the grown sheep and the hoggets were sound, stylish and even in length. Many buyers could use these lots in their fleece types, so they attracted strong competition”.
Second Place Nationally – Wood Family Pastoral Co of Uralla NSW
JW/URALLA
Classer: Cameron Wood
Judges: Andrew Blanch and Murray Bragg.
“What more can I say about this family and the wool they produce?” Mr Blanch said.
“This clip has won the Ultimate Clip competition twice and has recorded countless high placings over the past 19 years. A huge percentage of the 2012 clip was valued into our best spinner types, and it would have to be one of the best examples of high quality saxon merino you could find – anywhere! We were really pleased to buy over 73 per cent of the entire clip as we don’t want this type of wool to go to our competitors.”
Equal third place nationally – Grahame and Wendy Baxter of Guyra NSW.
GDB / NE
Classer: Grahame Baxter
Judges: Andrew Blanch and Murray Bragg.
“This clip was one of the brightest and most stylish clips we witnessed in this year’s competition,” Mr Blanch said. “Some of the buyers could not believe the sheep had not been rugged, such was the whiteness and cleanliness of the fleece lines”.
“Grahame also did a fantastic job in removing the VM from the best fleeces, and the skirtings were even and stylish, without wasting any wool,” Mr Bragg said.
Equal third place nationally – Wiley, Roy and David Reeves of Grabben Gullen NSW.
BIA GRAB
Classer: Roy Reeves
Judges: Andrew Blanch and Murray Bragg.
“Only their second year as finalists, the three boys and their families now find themselves at the top of the Southern Tablelands Region tree. Not a bad effort! Roy came down to the sale and we talked through the clip, and how we have valued it for our Italians. I was impressed by the keenness of these guys, but most importantly, the brilliance of the wool itself. 80 per cent of the fleece lines we put into our best spinner types, and even the few lower lines that were classed out, could be used by us in our blends. Murray noted how well the skirtings were prepared and the BIA GRAB clip received almost perfect scores for their efforts in this area.”
