ASWGA superfine wool award winners
- Ed and Jill Hundy, “Windradeen”, Pyramul, NSW won the Cleckheaton Grand Champion Fleece Trophy, as well as the Class 90s and finer class, and were top-placed in the Mudgee region.
- Equal first in the 80s class went to winners of the Goulburn/Yass region fleece, Danny and Megan Picker, “Hill Creston Park”, Bigga, NSW and Ararat region winners Penny and Russell Hartwich, “Kelseldale”, Ballyrogan , VIC who also won the 74s class.
- Mark and Lesleann Waters, Riverton, Armidale, NSW, won the Class 70s and placed first in the New England region.
- James and Faye Pepper, “Mumballview”, Mumballup, Western Australia, placed first in the West Australian Region
- Ian and Margaret Humphry, “Avondale”, Springhurst, placed first in the Albury/Wodonga region
- Trevor and Kathy Mibus, “Glenara Merinos”, Hamilton, placed first in the Hamilton Region.
- Allan and Carolyn Phillips, Glen Stuart, Deddington, Tasmania placed first in the Tasmanian Region
Pyramul fine wool producers, the Hundy family, have been crowned the prestigious Cleckheaton Grand Champion Superfine Fleece Trophy during the annual Australian Superfine Woolgrowers' Association (ASWGA) annual conference in Hamilton, Victoria.
The awards were divided into four categories based on the Bradford score of 90s and finer, 80s, 74s and 70s, representing traditional fine crimping wools.
Ed and Jill Hundy, “Windradeen”, Pyramul, NSW won the 90s and finer class, and were top-placed in the Mudgee region, before taking out the top title.
Equal first in the 80s class went to winners of the Goulburn/Yass region fleece, Danny and Megan Picker, “Hill Creston Park”, Bigga, NSW and Ararat region winners Penny and Russell Hartwich, “Kelseldale”, Ballyrogan , VIC who also won the 74s class.
Mark and Lesleann Waters, “Riverton”, Armidale, NSW, won the Class 70s and placed first in the New England region.
Regional winners also included James and Faye Pepper, “Mumballview”, Mumballup, Western Australia, who placed first in the WA region, and Ian and Margaret Humphry, “Avondale”, Springhurst, who won first place in the Albury/Wodonga region.
After opening their gates for an impressive farm tour earlier in the day, it was fitting Trevor and Kathy Mibus, “Glenara Merinos”, Hamilton, were applauded for their production standards, taking out first placed in the Hamilton Region, while Allan and Carolyn Phillips, Glen Stuart, Deddington, Tasmania placed first in the Tasmanian Region.
While the Hundy’s were absent from the award ceremony, ASWGA president Simon Cameron read a letter of acceptance from Mr Hundy who reiterated the challenges of producing superfine and ultrafine wool.
“Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue to produce a niche product that the market is unwilling to support with an appropriate price,” Mr Hundy said.
“As I am sure most are well aware superfine, in particular ultrafine, is not a quality you can jump ship from and expect to just get back straight into – one outcross will eradicate decades of breeding.”
He regarded the ASWGA fleece competition as the last bastion for competition between ultra and superfine fleece.