The Gippsland Sheep Breeder’s Association was founded on March 11, 1955, so recently celebrated its 70th birthday.
Initially the objectives were to conduct an annual Sheep Show and Ram sale which was originally held at Bairnsdale.
Around 1960 this was transferred to Sale where the tradition continued until 1996.
This was a very successful event with Stud Breeder’s from far and wide attending.
Gippsland was a premium sheep area and Studs from all over Victoria and many from NSW bringing their sheep along with the hope of selling to the Gippsland wool growers.
In 1977 rams were offered from areas including Hay, Cooma, Yass, Tatyoon, Goroke, Jerilderie, Bombala, Logan as well as three local studs.
In 1996 29 studs offered rams from an even wider area.
In a trend that continued in ensuing years nine Gippsland studs sold. These rams became increasingly sort after and resulted in the Gippsland Stud Merino Breeder’s running their own sale and the sheep breeder’s sale ceased to be.
While the Show and Sale were the original goals of the association these quickly transitioned into much more.
During the 1960s production trials began and fostered a competitive side to growing wool in Gippsland. These production trials are still happening and have been held
in all parts of Gippsland from Benambra
to Giffard.
Through the Gippsland Sheep Breeder’s Association many industry days were run to assist woolgrowers to maximise their returns.
Sheep classing workshops and general industry days were held with the majority of those participating happy to share
their knowledge and along with the Sheep and Wool officers of the Department of
Agriculture this led to a very vibrant organisation that became the envy of other wool growing areas.
Symposiums were held with early ones being at Paynesville country club and later at the Bairnsdale Golf club with sellout crowds of around 150 people attending.
The range of topics and speakers added to the knowledge that armed Gippsland wool growers to produce some of the best wool in the world.
Back to the production trials, as they show how woolgrowers have been able to change.
In 1969 Frank Blennerhassett won the
trial held at Giffard with his winning sheep averaging $10 per head with a carcass value of $6.
This trial was just after additional measurement of wool came in. Frank’s three fleeces averaged 23.3 micron.
Moving forward to 1983 to a trial that had 27 entrants Strathfieldsaye won this trial with the winning group averaging $30 per head and $14.50 for the carcass but a big drop in micron since the 1969 trial saw these averaging 21 micron.
In the most recent trial this year Garry
and Kaye Davidson won with the winning group micron coming in at an average of 15.5 micron.
This has been a major shift in Gippsland sheep breeding largely due to the Gippsland Sheep Breeders networking.
Life members from the earlier days are Dick Kyle, Murray Elliott, Stewart Phillips, John Smith, Jim Stewart, Stan Freeman and Stuart Lett.
Later additions to this list are John Freeman, Brian Nicholls, Prescott Jones, George Stewart, Peter Young, David Yates, Steven Harrison, Mal Nicholls, Kaye Davidson and Jack Winterbottom.
The Gippsland Sheepbreeders’ current three year trial is split into two shearings with half of the sheep shorn at nine
months and the balance being shorn after 12 months growth.
This is to compare the production from two different shearing periods and ascertain which would be more profitable with different types of sheep and wool.
