Omeo wool growers Alan and Noeleen Smith have been awarded the prestigious Elders Southern Clip of the Year for 2024/2025.
The honour was announced at the annual Sheepvention Rural Expo in Hamilton recently.
The award recognises excellence in both breeding and meticulous preparation of the wool clip at shearing.
Alan and Noeleen have long aspired to win the coveted bronze ram trophy, the trademark symbol of
the award, since taking over their family’s property ‘Innisfail’ from Alan’s father in 1997.
Clip preparation played a key role in the win.
Their daughter, Belinda Smith — the fourth generation of the family — has been classing at wool sheds across Gippsland for several years and is responsible for classing the ‘Innisfail’ clip.
To be eligible for the award, a clip must be evenly classed into saleable lines that appeal to buyers, with no faults or specification discrepancies.
“She started as a rouseabout and has grown into an award-winning classer,” Noeleen said with pride.
The farm has now been in the Smith family for three generations, and for the past 28 years, the Smiths have sourced genetics from Pendarra Merino Stud in Benambra.
Rams purchased from stud owners Kelvin and Jackie Pendergast have been instrumental in producing the bright, waterproof, and stylish wool that secured the award.
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In 2003, ‘Innisfail’ was devastated by bushfire.
While the family home was saved, the aftermath revealed the heartbreaking loss of 1181 of their best young, joined ewes.
Rebuilding the flock was bittersweet when another bushfire struck in 2020, this time claiming 300 joined ewes.
Despite fire, drought, floods, and wild dog attacks, the Smith family has persisted and in recent years they have constructed electrified dog fences around the property to protect their sheep.
The Smith family extended its thanks to long-time sheep classer and retired wool agent Mal Nicholls, their stock agent David Hill,
and their shearing contractor
Burgess Shearing.
Their current wool agent, Madi Gallagher, Elders, described the clip as “stylish, bright and suited to the environment” and commended the Smiths on their ability to “not only grow excellent wool, but produce productive sheep which are very capable of cutting 7kg or more”.
Also recognised were fellow
Omeo wool growers Rock and Allie Hayward, who won Clip of the Month for January.
Madi said it was a great achievement to have two high country clips in contention, with other monthly winners coming from across western Victoria and Tasmania.
