STAR STUDDED

LODDON Merino studs stood tall against the best sheep and fleeces in Australia at the weekend.

Terrick West Poll Stud at Prairie West was awarded the national March-shorn pairs champion and reserve champion sashes for the second year.

It is the first time a stud has achieved back-to-back double success in the event’s history.

By CHRIS EARL

Calivil’s Kedleston Park picked up champion performance exhibit plus most valuable fleece.

Matching the competition was the commercial flock fleece of Pyramid Hill’s John Farrer, awarded the reserve champion sash in the same section.

And one of Victoria’s newer Merino studs, Rod and Nicola

Kirk’s Longdale Park at Berrimul, came home from the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo with the fine-medium two permanent teeth champion’s sash.

“The Loddon Valley is doing well ... standing at the top of the line for sheep and wool against studs from all over the country,” said Terrick West’s Ross McGauchie.

“We have very good sheep being bred in our district by local studs. Our local studs are consist- ently competing with the best in Australia.”

Mr McGauchie is a former president and current committee member of the show organisers Australian Sheep Breeders’ Association and was awarded life membership at the weekend.

There was success for Norm Weir’s Kerrilyn Stud at Dunluce. The Loddon Valley Stud Merino Breeders’ Association member won the medium wool champion

Merino ewe and then went on to win grand champion Medium wool ewe. Kerrilyn also won the champion fine medium poll Merino ewe.

The weekend’s results were achieved against studs from every Australian state. “We are holding our own as a region when put alongside other sheep and fleeces,” said Kedleston Park’s John Humbert.

OUR LOCAL BEST - PAGES 9, 10 & 11

Well maintained - must see property

WELL may Bradley be laughing his head off after bumping the elbow erecting his latest Treemendous Sign. But down south of Boort, the land of lakes and water captioned the Northern Oasis, there are genuine tears of grief and distress.

THE Good Doc has sent a late night text message to OTF lamenting the likely onset of the El Nino weather pattern. For it has been confirmed that Sunday was indeed a sad day at Woke Farm with the confirmed passing of resident spider Bill Collins who has accurately been predicting recent drops of precipitation from the sky. Doc has assured OTF readers that it is indeed Bill - the spider had only seven legs! We extend our sympathies to the Good Doc on his loss of weather forecasting ability.

IT IS not only his weather skills in need of being pumped with a good prescription of Vitamin C pills, The diary records are also a bit on the deficient side, so we are told. The Good Doc had been slated to be with umpiring mate for major milestone game this week. Turned out he double booked and decided to stay in far warmer climes up north dispensing sage medical advice. The caterers can ease up on preparations!

NOW, catering is a fine art at sporting events around the Loddon, as has been remarked upon many times in OTF (and put to the test, may we candidly add). We’re now expecting a report in the next few weeks on how the golf tournament spreads stack up, Chatting to Dave the other day. he and mates are doing to sandscrape circuit at the moment. Started outside the patch over in Maldon ... good array on the tables, he says, but expecting better at Wedderburn and Inglewood in a pitch that would make any repaired house roof look good.

JOINING a very tenuous link on golf and the roof - did you hear about Bad Birdie? The story goes like this: At a home in North Phoenix, the homeowner insists on feeding the birds. This has attracted a flock of around 200 pigeons that live on the roof, apparently enjoying the warmth of the asphalt shingles and the nearness of their food supply. At times, it looks a lot like an Alfred Hitchcock movie! In the past year, the homeowner has replaced the roof twice, particularly over the patio. During the most recent monsoon rains in September, the homeowners climbed the roof with a bucket of tar to stop a leak. We suspect yet another roofing project is on the offing for this homeowner! The lesson, don’t feed the birds. Perhaps gourmet Dave has a few hints after hitting a golf birdie.

SWISH PIPPA Pippa was swishing her tail in delight after taking a bath in Inglewood’s new dog wash. Pippa, an English Staffordshire-Jack Russell cross lapped up the experience with owner Melissa Richardson last week. Pauline and Gerry Wellman have installed the dog wash at their motel and caravan park for use by guests and local dog owners looking for a safe place to wash their best friends.

State card offers vet discounts

LODDON RSL sub-branches are encouraging veterans to apply for a special Victorian discount card.

Inglewood-Bridgewater subbranch president Mick Hobson said the State Government’s veterans’ card was available to service members.

“The Victoria Government is currently offering a range of discounts to service members who sign up for a veterans’ card including $100 off your car registration, free trailer and caravan registration, free marine licence, fishing license exemption and veteran employment programs,” he said. only. Snooze’s

“Anyone who served or is serving in the ADF and living in Victoria are entitled, whether you have a DVA card or not,” Mr Hobson said.