Mortlock is a stirling Merino ram

Standout ram: judges Andrew Bouffler (left) and Andrew Calvert with Sims Uardry stud's winning all-purpose Merino ram Mortlock, led by manager Ben Lane. Picture: Greg Scullin

When it first started, the judging of the Australian Sheep and Wool Show's all-purpose Merino class was tucked into the lunch break, squeezed in between the "real events".

Jump forward a few years to the weekend, the competition attracted 72 sheep entered in six classes from four states, and a big crowd followed exactly what happened.

And while the award might have grown, it was a case of deja vu as the Black family's Sims Uardry Merino stud, Hay, took the title for the fourth year in a row.

Sims Uardry Mortlock first won its class for fine-medium to medium March shorn rams, then took the champion March-shorn Australian all-purpose Merino ram award.

It headed the Riverina blitz of the first four placings, with Poll Boonoke reserve champion, One Oak third and Caroonboon fourth.

All rams were wool tested and scanned for meat before being judged visually by Andrew Calvert, Longford, Tasmania, who assessed the wool and Andrew Bouffler from Lockhart, who assessed the meat characteristics of the rams.

The winning ram tested 18.2 micron with a comfort factor of 99.7, weighed 105kg, and had 6.5mm of fat and an eye muscle area of 39mm.

Sired by Sims Uardry Stirling, the ram has had a stellar showing career in the past couple of months, winning the champion hogget ram at Hay, and the Riverina Ram of the Year earlier this month.

Sims Uardry manager Ben Lane said the all-purpose award was becoming bigger each year and was "the one everyone wants to win".

The stud plans to offer the ram for sale at the National Merino sale in Dubbo next month.

Meat judge Andrew Bouffler said the ram was a "standout" and a great animal for the future of the Australian industry.

"It has good fat cover and stacks up visually and objectively," he said. "I really believe that the saviour of the wool industry would be the lamb industry, and vice versa."

Wool judge Andrew Calvert said there was a lot of doom and gloom in the Merino industry.

"I think there will be tremendous opportunities to make a lot of money," he said.