By JUDI HAIDLEY
THE students and sheep from the Scots College Texel stud returned triumphant from the Royal Queensland Show recently, having achieved their most successful results ever at the prestigious event.
With just 11 sheep entries, the school stud took out the Champion and Reserve Champion Texel Ram, Champion and Reserve Champion Texel Ewe and Champion Texel Breeders Group in the schools division.
The school’s outstanding Champion ewe then went on to be awarded the Grand Champion School Ewe and, on accumulated points.
This gave the Scots PGC team a share in the title of Most Successful School, together with Rochedale SHS from Brisbane.
For the first time in many years, the Royal Queensland Show also held an Open competition for stud meat sheep, attracting entries from Suffolk, Texel, Southdown, Poll Dorset, Dorset Horn, Dorper and White Dorper breeders.
The Scots students provided a fitting service for Pittsworth Texel breeders, Peter and Pene Hood. The three sheep from Plainview stud also excelled, taking out the Supreme Champion Breeders Group of the show, as well as the Texel Champion ribbons in both the ram and ewe classes.
Supreme Champion ram and ewe of the show ribbons were contested by the champions of each breed within the open classes, together with the Grand Champions from the schools division.
In both cases, it was the school sheep that came out on top, giving a clear indication that the schools and their students take this business very seriously.
The Scots contingent was delighted to be awarded Supreme Champion Ewe of Show, from over 100 ewe entries across seven breeds.
Described by the judge as “an outstanding carcass ewe, showing excellent condition despite being just a few weeks from lambing”, the four-tooth ewe bred at the college is at the pinnacle of a breeding program started in 2000 which now comprises a flock of around 50 head.
The Scots students also enjoyed great success in the Young Judging and Junior Parader competitions.
Each of these competitions attract over 100 entries, and the eight students from SCOTS were well represented in finals.
Most notable successes were Juliette Cronin, who won the overall Champion Junior Parader competiton, and Kate-Elizabeth Worth who placed second in the under-15 section of Young Judges.
