Hay Merino Sheep Show: a rich history
Pictured are some true icons of the Australian Wool industry, and Ambassadors of the Hay Merino Sheep Show. Roly Desailly, Max Lugsdin, Noel Corliss, Maurice Gibson, Bob Rollinson, David Davies, Clive Davenport and the late Barry Milliken.
Image: The Riverine Grazier/Margie McClelland (2016)
By Kimberly Grabham
This Blast from the Past was created using information published in The Riverine Grazier in 2022, for the Hay Merino Sheep Show’s 70th anniversary.
Hay Merino Sheep Show has seen major changes since the first show, held 72 years ago while still retaining the heritage atmosphere and feel that the exhibitors love and travel for.
Exhibitors travel from NSW, SA and VIC annually. The people involved in the first shows have descendants still contributing to the show today.
President Ian Lugsdin said it was a credit to the Hay district for the longevity of the current and previous committees to maintain the high standard of sheep, both flock and studs, on show for the last 72 shows in its current form, and looks forward to the future of an iconic industry.
Max Lugsdin became the first recipient of the prestigious Hay Merino Sheep Show Ambassador title in 2008.
Thirteen years later, his daughter-in-law Stacey Lugsdin was named the first female ambassador, sharing the 2021 title with Ian Milliken.
Other ambassadors are 2019 Chris Bowman and Ian Lilburne, 2018 Bede Schiller, 2017 Mark Bazeley, 2016 Bob Rollinson, 2015 Noel Corliss, 2014 Sandy Circuitt, 2013 Roly Desailly, 2012 David Davies, 2011 Clive Davenport, 2010 Maurice Gibson and 2009 Barry Milliken
The event that has grown into the prestigious Hay Merino Sheep Show had humble beginnings in 1952.
Prior to the 1950s, various sheep and wool exhibitions had been held in conjunction with gymkhanas and Hay Show, but it was the brainchild of Mungadal sheep classer Don McNeill, that saw Hay host a flock sheep show in 1952.
The Grazier report from June 1954 illustrates how much this respected show has grown: “Officials of the Hay P. and A. Association, are delighted at the big entry received for the Merino flock ewe competitions to be held on Saturday next at the Hay Showground.
“Upwards of 25 entries have been received for the two classes, one for ewes showing no more than two permanent teeth, and the other for those showing lamb's teeth, only.
“In addition to these two classes, which are for flock sheep, there will be an exhibition from the district's leading studs.
“Included among these will be the pen of five rams from Mungadal, which were first prize-winners in the recent Sydney Show, and the champion strong-wool ewe.
“Hot water will be available at the luncheon hour, and there will be afternoon tea available on the ground and a publican's booth.
“In the ring there will be a program of gymkhana events, all post entry, and a couple of rodeo events.”
Prior to the stand-alone sheep show, wool and flock judging were introduced to the program of Hay Show, when shearing demonstrations were abandoned in 1949, in favour of “a sheep day, embracing exhibition of stud sheep, possibly including many of those sent from this district to the Sydney Show, and fat stock, with sheep dog trials.” (The Riverine Grazier, July 13, 1948).
By the 10th anniversary of the Show, the event also included a ball, held in the evening as a social gathering for district woolgrowers, and a fundraiser for the Showgrounds Improvement Committee.
It was touted in the promotional advertisement as ‘The Dance of the Year’ with local entertainment by ‘Johnny McCurrie’s Orchestra’.
In 1962 Warrendale took the top honours for Merino flock ewe hoggets, and at the presentation of the prize to Mr ESF Makepeace and his son Graham, Mr JRT Matthews thanked everyone who had helped make the show such a success.
As president of the Hay Pastoral and Agricultural Association he also announced an appeal would be made for funds to build a pavilion to house the sheep show, which had been started with an anonymous donation of £500.
In today’s money that donation is equivalent to around $15,500, so was a significantly generous amount.
The pavilion was constructed by Don Harrison, founder of DG Harrison & Sons and Alan Calvert, who erected it.
The building, still standing today, was completed in time for the 1964 show, and Mr Matthews noted the local firms won the tenders over larger companies from Sydney and Melbourne. The building cost £3600 to construct ($106,500) with lighting an additional £450 ($13,500).
By 1971 entries had dropped a little, when TH Davies & Son of Walgrove won Champion Pen of Merino Ewes, but recovered in time for the 20th year show, held at the end of May 1972. Increased entries also attracted a larger crowd than usual in the bumper year, and there was a diverse range of animals on display; as well as the Merinos.
The 1972 show included British Breed sheep, beef cattle and goats. In 1982 a novelty event was introduced; a knitting race to be performed by the Hay Spinners and Weavers group.
“Sheep’s back to knitted jumper” the headline proclaimed on the front page of The Riverine Grazier on May 26, 1982.
From previous page “The ladies will attempt to knit a jumper starting from the sheep’s back, in four hours … to commence at 12 noon, with the blade shearing of the sheep … local ladies have been trimming their fingers and honing their needles for the big event.”
The novelty worked – on June 9, The Grazier ran the headline “1982 Sheep Show Best Ever”.
Inside the paper we learnt that Beth Circuitt, Colleen Schiller, Jeni Japp, Gwen Donohoe, Robyn Perry, Wendy Laracy, Edith Anderson and Ethel O’Donnell had successfully completed the knitting challenge in 3 hours and 40 minutes.
“Hay Spinners and Weavers beat the clock when they turned the fleece of a Mungadal Stud ewe … into a knitted jumper.
“The ewe was blade shorn by Michael Elmes of Uardry and teams of spinners immediately started to spin yarn for another team of knitters to commence knitting up the article. “There were four in each group and they achieved their goal well inside the time limit of four hours.”
Show convenor Bert Matthews took to The Grazier in 1992 to implore breeders to support the show and contribute entries, despite the dry and challenging conditions.
This resulted in a record-breaking range of entries. Some sections had up to 29 entries. There was a large crowd on hand, and a mammoth job for the six judges who took more than seven hours to get through all entries.
Uardry manager Chris Bowman led his stud to the win of the prestigious Neilson Mills Trophy for breeder’s group of three rams and two ewes.
Mr Bowman and his team of Dougal McIntyre, Alastair Pennington, Matthew Hodge, Boyd West and Jock Campbell featured on the front page.
The 50th Golden Anniversary was celebrated in 2001 when Ian Lugsdin and Rowan Houston shared the convenor role, and the anniversary event included a fashion parade of Centrespot Mensland’s newest winter range of clothing. An anniversary dinner was held at the Waradgery Club, attended by hundreds of breeders, keen to celebrate the milestone.
Booroorban grazier and bush poet Sandy Symons penned and performed a poem as part of the evening’s program, alongside guest speaker Maree McCaskill from Australian Wool Innovations.
Mr Roly Desailly was master of ceremonies.
Sixty years of Hay Merino Sheep Show was celebrated on June 18, 2011 and attracted entrants from the Riverina, Victoria and South Australia. Over 300 stud and flock sheep were entered in the show, with 10 pens of seven ewes overflowing into pens in marquees outside the pavilion.
Robert Sullivan of ‘Greenfields’ in Hallet SA won the Bill Lamb Supreme Champion Ram and Grand Champion Ram.
Twenty years of the Peppin Shaw Riverina Ewe Flock Competition was also celebrated in 2011, ‘Croidon’ named overall winner. Alma Merino Stud and Wanganella Merino Stud took out the northern and southern trophies respectively.
