AFTER selling their Merino Rams only on farm for almost two decades, Yarrawonga Poll brought several rams down from its Harden, New South Wales property to great success, topping Sheepvention’s 2022 Ram Sale with a price of $26,000.

Yarrawonga’s Lot 72 was the pick of the mob, their return travel route again interstate, purchased by Warralea Poll Merino of Gairdner, Western Australia.

The youngest of the Yarrawonga offering at just 13 months, the ram’s fleece measured 17.7 micron, with standard deviation (SD) 2.6, co-efficient of variation (CV) 14.6 and comfort factor (CF) 99.6 per cent.

The second-top-priced ram sold at Lot 74 M22323 for $16,000, with a fleece 18.8 micron, SD of 2.8, CV of 16.1 and CF of 99.4 per cent.

While the three-day agricultural event was paused in 2020 and 2021, the Ram Sale was held online, but the return to the onsite format was welcomed this year with an average of $4372 achieved for stud rams.

Along with the Ram Sale, day three of Sheepvention formalities saw Bree Cudmore and her five-year-old kelpie Moana take out the Coprice Victorian Farm Dog Championship.

Ms Cudmore scored 91 in the Open Section, 93 in the Championship Section and 86 in the Championship Final, to pencil in a combined total of 270, 10 points higher than her nearest competitor.

Local farmer and author, Tracey Kruger, who launched her first children’s novel, The Farmer Twins at Sheepvention, was awarded the Best Indoor Trade Site.

The same honour in the Best Outdoor Trade Site Section was given to local plumbing company, Finchetts, while Elders took home the Best Outdoor Corporate Trade Site.

With the return to the usual Sheepvention format, the Hamilton Pastoral & Agricultural Society committee was happy with the three-day proceedings and attendee numbers.

President Kathryn Robertson said she was “really happy” with the number of people through the gates.

“The traders have all given really positive feedback and are really happy with how smoothly the event has run,” she said.

“The Inventions Competition, with the Children’s Section, there were some fantastic and innovative ideas from the kids that really came through.”

Zara Bergmark won first prize in the school students’ Best Overall Student Invention for her tool belt invention, while the Robert F Stewart Major Award Winner went to Shane Bourke, for his Powermaster Woolpress.

The Wool Handling Competition took place on Sunday and saw Judith Ratan take out the Open Section with a score of 51.7 over second placed Kirsty Pollock (56.4).

The winner of the Senior Section was Shawnee Te Whare (68.3), while Lillian Maxwell (62.4) finished in first place in the Novice Section.

Incoming president, David Botterill, will take over Ms Robertson’s role in 2023, who has been in the role for three years now, despite only hosting one event.

“The committee is certainly ready for a long nap but we’re already starting to plan next year and generating some ideas of things we can do,” she said.

See full Sheepvention results in Saturday’s Spectator.