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CORRIEDALES IN AUSTRALIA On January 31st 1882 Mr. Henry Corbett of Woonwarren near Port Fairy Victoria purchased
Mr. Henry Corbett 400 stud Lincoln ewes from Dr. Brown’ s Moorah Estate Mt. Gambier S.A., then one of the best flocks around. These ewes he mated to merino rams from the famous Larra flock of Mr. J.L.Currie near Camperdown. (Mr. Currie and Larra were neighbors to Mr. Nicholas Cole 1st and 2nd of WEST CLOVEN HILLS) .The Lincoln ewes were added to in November 1884 by the purchase of some of Mr. T.F.Rutledge, s best ewes, and the same merino rams were used with these. The best progeny of the best ewes were kept as rams (half breds) and mated then when four tooth with the ewes bred the same way. Mr. Corbett started a stud flock from these sheep with 12 ewes and 1 ram. In 1912 after 30 years of breeding Mr. Corbett sold all his sheep and farm prior to taking up residence in South Africa he latter wrote. “The hardest wrench I had when leaving Australia was parting with that breed of sheep, I had devoted so much time to them.”
Extract from ‘The Leader” (Melbourne), September 5th 1945. “When valuing wool at Christchurch, New Zealand, one day, Mr.Guthrie was very much impressed by the bulk, evenness and high yield of a couple of Canterbury clips marked “ Corriedale.” He had never heard of Corriedale, and thought, perhaps, it was a misprint. Valuing in the same room was the leading buyer in New Zealand, to whom he remarked that he, J.F. Guthrie, had put a higher price on wools marked “ Corriedale” than any other wool of many thousands of bales which he had valued in New Zealand, and “ you are right,” said the buyer, “those Corriedale wools always do make the top of the market in New Zealand.” Mr. Guthrie later made a thorough inspection of the Corriedale studs of New Zealand. Mr. Guthrie had decided to buy both rams and ewes from Moeraki, but upon returning to Australia, mentioning his intentions to Mr. Henry Corbett, who was saying “adieu” prior to his leaving for South Africa. Mr. Corbett said, “Why go to New Zealand for Corriedales? I have been breeding them in Victoria for 30 years. I founded my stud on J.L.Currie’s stud merino rams and Dr. Brown’s “ Moorak” stud Lincoln ewes, but I have just sold out, lock stock, and barrel. Hop in and get the offer of all my Corriedale sheep, but, whatever you do, buy the studs which have a different ear mark – a punch hole through the ear.” Acting on this advice, Mr. Guthrie purchased only the stud sheep.”
Mr. J. F. Guthrie On the 28th July 1914 at the instigation of Mr. J. F. Guthrie a meeting was held at Scotts Hotel Melbourne and from this meeting the Australian Corriedale Sheep breeders Association was formed. A book was published in 1922 containing the histories of fifty four studs, in this book Volume One The Australian Corriedale flock book, had Guthrie Corriedales No 1 flock.
Mr Martin ,manager of Coolangatta for J.F.Guthrie holding Coolangatta no 4 sold to Scotland
Extract from “ Farmer and Settler” (N.S.W.) “The Guthrie Corriedale Stud, No. 1 in the flock book, has had remarkable success at shows and sales since it was founded about 70 years ago. It was founded on the best stud Lincoln’s and stud Merinos in existence at the time, and it has been regularly classed and rigidly kept within reasonable numbers by heavy culling of both rams and ewes each year. The stud has been under the personal supervision of Mr. (formerly Senator) J.F.Guthrie, for over 30 years. A staff of stud sheep experts has ably assisted him. The stud is equally divided between Bulgandra, near Rand N.S.W., which is under the management of Mr.G.G.Carr, acknowledged as one of the best judges and breeders of Corriedale sheep in Australia; and Elcho, near Geelong Victoria, where Mr. Rupert Wettenhall, an acknowledged expert, supervises the breeding and classing. Not only are the Guthrie Corriedales noted for size, shape and constitution and prolificacy, but for bulk and very pronounced character of wool.” The Guthrie Corriedale stud was dispersed by auction on Tuesday 11th December 1951 after a long and very successful history.
Extract from dispersal catalogue:
“The Guthrie Corriedale Stud - the No. 1 Stud of Australia has had outstanding victories over a long period, culminating by winning in a class of 200 rams at the biggest sheep show in the world, viz: Palermo (Argen.) International in 1950.
“Pastoral Review”: The remarkable successes of the Guthrie Stud at the Melbourne and Sydney Sheepbreeders’ Shows, the Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth Royal Shows, when pitted against the best Corriedales in Australia, are practically unparalleled in this or any other country.
“New South Wales Press”: The Guthrie Stud which was founded upon stud Lincoln and Stud Merino sheep, has nearly 70 years’ history behind it, and has always been the No. 1 stud of Australia, and: there can be no doubt that the Guthrie Corriedale Stud is the greatest prize-winning stud in the world.
“Farm and Home, July, 1951”: more than 1300 first prizes and 130 championships have been won by the Corriedale stud founded by Mr. J. F. Guthrie.
The Guthrie Stud was founded solely on stud Merino and Lincoln sheep.
The Stud has won every cup for which it has competed at the leading shows of Australia during the years 1947, 1948, and 1949.
At the Royal Show, Melbourne (1949) the Stud won 10 firsts out of possible 11, including Ram and Ewe Championships and Reserve Championships.
The late Harry Peck, the famous sheep expert, states in “Reminiscences of a Stockman,” J.F. Guthrie has the best Corriedale stud in the world.
Corriedale greasy wool sold at auction in 1951 at 322d per lb!! Both sires and dams by rams of pure Guthrie blood.”.
Janet and Rupert Wettenhall holding rams
One of the buyers at the dispersal of J.F. Guthrie (Corriedale) Pty Ltd was Mr. Rupert E. Wettenhall. Mr. Wettenhall had been associated with the Guthrie Corriedale Stud in a managerial and what was perhaps even more important, a classing capacity for 30 years. It was the intimate knowledge gained over that period that paid dividends when the late ex. Senator J.F. Guthrie decided to retire from Corriedale breeding.
To purchase the known ewes in the Guthrie stud, Mr. Wettenhall had to pay Australian record prices. The establishment of the male side of his Stanbury stud was an all-important step that called for very deep consideration.
Darcy Wettenhall with Bob Pettitt
Here again the experiences of having handled, hand served, and singly mated every sire of note, whether imported or bred in the Guthrie stud, were of paramount importance.
STANBURY CORRIEDALES FOUNDATION SIRES. Regal status - Phenomenal Sire
The young ram, J.F.G.O.E.HMII.1957, was purchased to fill the role of top sire in the Stanbury stud. This phenomenal sire is now known as Bulgandra Regal Status of Stanbury. He was never once defeated in classes for rams over 2 1/2 years of age in Australia. He won two championships and two reserve championships at the two most important Corriedale shows in the Commonwealth. His physical being has been admired and his personality sensed by hundreds of local and many international visitors.
The aggregate amount of guineas paid from the stud auction plank and on the property for single stud sons of Regal Status is claimed to be an Australian record for the breed.
Field Marshal
Other rams were purchased at the Guthrie dispersal sale, notable among them being Bulgandra Field Marshal of Stanbury (JFG.9E.ME670.740), whose fleece, shorn in his fifth year, was awarded the world championship at the International Wool Exhibition held at Melbourne Royal Show in 1954.
Explorer Line
Another important male acquisition from the Guthrie stud was the ram afterwards known as Bulgandra Explorer of Stanbury (JFG.O.E.JREI.134). Although Explorer, together with 25 ewes, was sold in 1952 for 200 gns. it was not before he left a valuable crop of lambs, the ewe portion of which is still in the Stanbury stud.
B20 Influence
In similar fashion, the ram B20 of Stanbury was purchased. He had a brief show career of two exhibitions, winning reserve champion at Albury Sheep Show in 1953, when Regal Status was champion, and second prize two-year-old ram at Melbourne Sheep Show the same year. He was then sold for the Australian auction record of 950 gns.
Before sale, however, B20 of Stanbury left a crop of lambs. From that one drop came the ewe, REW.B20.129.1953, who was champion at Melbourne Sheep Show in 1956 and champion at Albury Sheep Show in 1957. From that one drop also came the ram, REW.B20.127 of 1953, who was sold for top auction price at Sydney in 1955 and who was champion at Adelaide Royal Show that same year. Ewes by B20 of Stanbury still play their part in the breeding program of the stud.
These sheep were used as the foundation of the world famous Stanbury Corriedales at Stanbury Stud Farm, Devon Road, Ceres near Geelong. Descendants of these bloodlines are still in use at Stanbury Corriedales at West Cloven Hills.
From Stanbury inception in 1951 to its sale to WEST CLOVEN HILLS in November 1992, t he Wettenhall family had a very proud tradition worldwide of producing the best Corriedale genetics available These genetics were highly sought by stud masters in Australia and New Zealand and every major sheep producing country in the world.
Under the guidance of Mr. Rupert Wettenhall and his wife Mrs. Janet Wettenhall and later Mr. Wettenhall’s cousin Darcy and Mrs. Wettenhall, the stud continued maintaining the high and exacting standards established many years, and sheep generations, ago. Nicholas Cole and Geoff Risbey have maintained these standards since its purchase and relocation to WEST CLOVEN HILLS in 1992. The meticulous care is taken in recording all the details of the stud’s activities in the two studbooks. Of the two studbooks that are maintained, one covers the stud ewes, and their history, the other records the sires and their progeny’s history. All ewes are double labeled on entering the stud’s register: - The first label or breed tag is put in as a lamb in the off (right) ear for ram lambs and near (left) ear for ewes. The tag has the year of birth on it, as well as the sires number, following this is another number to identify the animal. The second tag is put in when a ewe is admitted to the stud as a breeding ewe, one and half years old, this tag has on it a unique number ie. 1 . . . . . . .>, this number is not used again; it corresponds to a page that contains its history. At Stanbury Corriedales at West Cloven Hills every detail is important and is documented, from date of service of the ewe by the ram to lambing in the paddock under natural conditions, when the lamb is born, it is tagged and matched with its mother, and recorded in a day paddock book. The ewe and lamb are both assessed, the ewe for mothering and milking, the lamb for many facets, amongst which are, its thriftiness, outlook its structure and skin, its size and weight. All ewes are checked twice daily when lambing. The policy of Stanbury Corriedales at West Cloven Hills is to produce a Corriedale of superior genetic material, backed up by 45 years of careful production recording. The stud consists of 700 pedigreed ewes selected over many years from high producing families. Some 25 different genetic combinations are in use in the stud today. At all times through our breeding techniques we are trying to breed a superior Corriedale that will pass on to there sons and daughters
Geoff Risbey holding Ram Number 533-366-92 Our clients of livestock or semen can purchase with confidence knowing the animals will breed true to type and have a guaranteed long pedigree.
WEST CLOVEN HILLS Shearing Shed Built 1851 STANBURY CORRIEDALES at WEST CLOVEN HILLS WEST CLOVEN HILLS CAMPERDOWN VICTORIA 3260 AUSTRALIA Ph. Fax (03) 55939278 Email. stanbury@gatewaybbs.com.au
References. Australian Corriedale Century 1882- 1982 compiled by Andrew Nicolson. The Guthrie Corriedale Stud. A booklet. The Sale Catalogue for J.F.Guthrie Corriedales. Various Stanbury Corriedales pamphlets. Private papers at West Cloven Hills.
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