When selecting eight even fleeces for their southern district exhibit at Sydney Royal, a fleece from the commercial flock of John and Jenny Alcock of Greenland stud, Bungarby, which they thought was a little broad ended up gaining 98 points and awarded grand champion fleece.

It is believed to be the first time a show fleece has won grand champion award.

“It’s off a wether from ‘Greenland’, Nimmitabel, where the stud was established,” Mr Alcock said.

“He’s homebred from within the 1500 ewe commercial flock where the Alcocks also run 250 wethers for wool production.”

The Greenland fleece of 17.9 micron, weighing 3.6 kilograms clean after yielding 78.5 per cent was entered in the Royal Agricultural Society/Agricultural Show Societies Country Show Champion Class with Narromine Show (the Galley family, Dubbo) second place and Henty Show (Campbell family, Henty) third.

Reserve grand champion fleece was exhibited by the Rayner family, Grathlyn stud, Mudgee, who have been consistent showers of broadribbon fleeces for many decades.

The Grathlyn 18.4-micron fleece came off a housed ewe and weighed 5.2kg clean after yielding 77pc with a staple length of 83.9 millimetres which gained 97.5 points.

Grathlyn’s entry in the Brian Devereaux Memorial trophy for a superfine or finer fleece was placed second behind a 14.6-micron fleece shown by Ian and Lorraine Hills, “Leawarra”, Guyra, who were awarded most successful exhibitor.

A fleece from Peter and Jayne Lette, Conrayn stud, Berridale, was awarded champion housed ram fleece, which weighed 6.2kg for the 17.1 micron yielding 73.1pc with a length of 85.5mm.

David and Tina Watson, Masters Swamp, Kentucky, were successful in the topmaking wool section gaining seven awards in ultrafine, superfine, fine and medium classes, plus champion in the medium wool section. They gained champion ram fleece with a superfine in the spinners type section.

The Sydney Royal success continued a fine run for the Alcocks of Bungarby, who last month paraded the leading merinos at Canberra Royal.

Father and son duo John and Greg Alcock, brought forward the young ram that went on to be judged the junior champion of the show.

“I liked the length of staple which was deeply crimped and with great handle,” judge Kim Cartwright of Crookwell said.

“He is also very well grown for a young ram, showing a lot of body depth and width across his back.”

The Alcock family also showed the champion medium-strong wool ram, which had come through the four-tooth March-shorn class, and had further success in this section when their four-tooth March-shorn ewe was awarded the championship with another of their four-tooth ewes sashed as reserve champion.