Poll Merinos may have been significantly outnumbered by the horned entries in the Cox Pavilion but South Australian judge Joe Dahlitz and Western Australian judge Jeremy King were both impressed with the quality of wool and heavy cutting ability of the nearly 40 sheep across the wool types.
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In the finest wool division, entries from Hillcreston Merinos, Bigga, won both grand champion and reserve ultrafine ram.
"It is as good a 14-micron wool as you will see and the amount of wool that ram will cut for its micron is exceptional," said Mr King from Rangeview stud, Darkan.
"The reserve was a carbon copy but just didn't have the production of the first one."
A two-tooth ewe exhibited by Malcolm, Hayden and Bec Cox, Bocobole stud, Dubbo, was elevated to grand champion ultrafine ewe beating a couple of older ewes.
"She has great purity and had the extra length of staple and extra production that I was looking for," Mr King said.
The superfine grand champion ram went to the Merriman family, Merryville stud, Boorowa - one of three grand champions for the stud in the polls.
Mr King said their four-tooth, March-shorn was a standout for the "quality of wool over his wool cut" in the final lineup.
For his superfine grand champion ewe, Mr King selected a 14.8-micron ewe, also a four-tooth, from Bocoble with a terrific wool test, including a 2.3-micron standard deviation, 15.5 per cent coeffient of variation and 99.9pc comfort factor.
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The Alcock family, Greenland stud, Bungarby, were awarded grand champion fine wool ram and fine-medium ewe.
Yvette McKenzie and her father Eric, Grasmere stud, Bethungra, were rapt to back up their champion from their debut year at Sydney last year with the grand champion medium wool Poll Merino ram.
Mr Dahlitz from Roemahkita stud, Cummins, described the March-shorn as a "modern Poll Merino".
"He has unbelievable staple length and white medium wool, a big tall sheep with great depth of body," he said.
Mr Dahlitz also noted the grand champion strong wool ram, a March-shorn exhibited by John Bensley, Stillbrook stud, Crookwell, was a "hell of a wool cutter".
GRAND CHAMPIONS
Ultrafine wool ram: Sam, Ella and Murray Picker, Hillcreston, Bigga. Reserve: Hillcreston
Ultrafine wool ewe: Malcolm, Hayden and Bec Cox, Bocoble, Dubbo. Res: Hillcreston
Superfine wool ram: Merryville stud, Boorowa. Res: Bocoble
Superfine wool ewe: Bocoble. Res: Merryville
Fine wool ram: Greg, John and Jenny Alcock, Greenland, Bungarby. Res: Merryville
Fine wool ewe: Merryville. Res: Greenland
Fine-medium wool ram: Merryville.
Fine-medium ewe: Greenland. Res: Merryville
Medium wool ram: Eric and Yvette McKenzie, Grasmere, Bethungra. Res: Greenland
Strong ram: Stillbrook, Crookwell
