Auburn Valley Merino and Poll Merino stud scoops 2024 Perth Royal Show Supreme Champion Fleece

The 2024 Perth Royal Show Supreme Champion Fleece sash has been awarded to the Rintoul family, of Auburn Valley Merino and Poll Merino stud in Williams, with their winning entry scoring 92 points out of a possible 100. The Supreme Champion Fleece title was announced on Monday, September 16, ahead of this year’s Royal Show — which runs from September 21 to 28 — and will be on display for the public during the event in the Wool Pavilion. The winning fleece was from the Fine Wool Ram (single fleece) class, where it was judged by seven official Royal Agricultural Society judges. This year involved the addition of several new upcoming judges taking part in the process. Scored on a number of characteristics, the supreme champion Auburn Valley fleece recorded a 10 out of 10 for handle, five out of five for colour, and 13 out of 15 for character. For both length and eveness of fibre diameter, the fleece scored nine out of a possible 10 points and was awarded 12 out of a possible 15 points for soundness. The Australian Wool Testing Authority objectively measured all fleeces, with the supreme champion recording a comfort factor of 99.4 per cent, mean fibre diameter of 18.7 microns, greasy fleece weight of 10.9kg, yield of 69.6 per cent and clean fleece weight of 7.6kg. Chief judge and Dyson Jones wool agent Tim Chapman said the fleece was a deserving winner, having tremendous style and was beautiful and soft to handle. “It is a nice bright fleece with a lot of bulk and has great processing potential,” Mr Chapman said. Auburn Valley stud principal Peter Rintoul said of the 14 fleece classes they had entered at this year’s Perth Royal Show, he felt this particular ram’s fleece had a very good chance. The fleece is from a 2022 Auburn Valley drop ram who is sired by Wililoo Buster 469, purchased by the Rintoul family at the 2021 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo and Ram Sale Katanning. The ram is part of the first drop of lambs from this sire and in August was part of the pair of rams entered by Auburn Valley in the 2024 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo, which were awarded Grand Champion Pair of Rams. The ram then went on to be awarded the 2024 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo Champion Fine-Medium Wool Merino ram. Mr Rintoul said the Supreme Champion Fleece would remain with the family for now. The Rintoul family has been competing at the Perth Royal Show wool classes since the early 1980s, having won their last supreme champion fleece in 2022. Royal Agricultural Society wool committee councillor Ken Walker said he was pleased with this year’s number of entries, with the high quality of fleeces entered to be commended — especially given the trying season. “We appreciate the support from both stud and commercial farmer entries as it allows us to put on a great exhibit and provide a good display of wool to the Perth public,” Mr Walker said. “The farmers class for fleece was particularly outstanding this year.” Coming in a close second, on 91 out of a total of 100 points, was a Farmer Class entry from BD & DG Caelli of Ravensthorpe. A total of 93 fleeces were entered this year, up from 70 in 2023. Mr Walker said entries were coming back after a drop following classes being cancelled in 2020 due to COVID. He hoped producers would continue to support the Perth Royal Show wool classes into the future, saying it was a vital part of bridging the gap between consumers and producers of wool.