My mother grew up on a sheep property “Moorabbee” near Heathcote (VIC) in close proximity to the Kemp family and from time to time as I was growing up, she mentioned the Kemps and their Polwarths. I grew up on a sheep and cropping property (primarily sheep) at Goornong, 30km north of Bendigo and developed a passion for sheep at an early age.
I recall an occasion in my teens when my father had Merino ewes but was undecided as to what breed of rams to mate them to. A neighbour offered the loan of four Homeleigh Polwarth rams that he was not going to use that year and Dad was welcome to “run them across the road”. This he did and I can still recall clearly today shearing the resulting progeny and being captivated by their beautiful wool.
Several years and several careers later (including stints as a jackaroo on a NT cattle station, shearing and working in shearing sheds locally, foreman at a leading harness racing stable and as a mature age student) I returned from working as State Admin Manager for Ansett Freight Express in Sydney to Bendigo and a portion of the family farm.
I contacted Ted Kemp at Homeleigh shortly thereafter asking to view his Polwarths. I purchased commercial ewes and rams on two occasions from Homeleigh in the mid-1990s and ran a commercial Polwarth flock for several years.
At that time, I had little interest in having a stud or showing sheep but nonetheless I would head up to the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo after work mostly to look over the Polwarths. It was a deliberate decision to go late in the day to avoid being “interrupted” as I moved across the pens. This worked well for a few years until “cornered” by Don Smith and Ben Wright (Kingswood and Munmunde Polwarth Studs respectively). They were very gracious, and we spoke again at subsequent Australian Sheep & Wool Shows.
I commenced a new job with Bendigo Bank in January 2000 which necessitated significant travel Australia wide. The late 1990s/early 2000s were drought years and I agisted all my sheep at Deans Marsh (near Geelong) and near Ben and Don’s properties. I visited them from time to time when I headed down there to check my sheep and when I lost a Border Leicester ram there Ben gave me a stud Polwarth ram.
Ben and Don suggested my Polwarth ewes were good enough to commence as a base for a stud, so I registered my flock with the Association in 2003, primarily in appreciation of Ben and Don’s friendship and support. I named my stud “Moorabbee” after my maternal grandparent’s property which no longer existed, having been compulsorily acquired for the construction of Lake Eppalock around 1960 (both grandparents passed away within 12 months of the forced relocation following many years of stress leading up to it).
When I joined the association, the Victorian branch was quite active thanks to the efforts of Ben Wright and Geoff Kemp. I believe there were also South Australian and Tasmanian branches at that time. Our Federal Association was a Company Limited by Guarantee with the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society of S.A. the Federal Secretary. The legal structure as a company was becoming too costly to maintain (from memory company audit fees alone were $1,500 per year). In my opinion, the Federal Secretary was also largely ineffective, and the state branches were struggling.
A decision was taken to wind up the company and state branches and replace them with a single Incorporated Association. Rod Bowles, Secretary of the Bendigo Agricultural Show Society was appointed interim secretary for the new entity. (I hope to put together another article at some future time going into more detail about this lengthy and involved process).
The best Polwarth I’ve seen in my time was the Mt. Alma ram Orange 3278 who was Longwool Interbreed Champion at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in 2006 (I think). I believe he was subsequently sold to South American interests for $25,000.
Today I farm 320 acres across three blocks, two of which have frontage to the Campaspe River and the third with a private irrigation channel running through it, so water is never a problem. Long term average rainfall is said to be 18 inches. I run about 150 Polwarth ewes, 50 or so studs and 100 commercials plus 100 White Suffolk/Polwarth cross ewes put to a terminal sire. A neighbour has share cropped approximately 170 acres annually in recent years.
I’ve enjoyed my Polwarth journey immensely. I’ve been on the Executive pretty much since becoming involved and I’ve completed terms as President, Treasurer and I think even Acting Secretary for a season. I believe my most valuable contribution and most personal satisfaction has come from these support roles rather than showing or seeking to establish a prominent stud.
One should try to play to one’s strengths. Show success has been “modest” at best but showing is not something that motivates me greatly. I put a few sheep and/or fleeces in shows from time to time primarily to support the shows and to support/promote Polwarths. I showed Ancona chooks for many years back late last century and had a fair bit of success, so I think I’m now a bit “over” showing.
Primary satisfaction comes from working with groups of like-minded individuals and pottering around with my Polwarths at the farm. They reward me sufficiently to pay most of the bills most of the time. Obviously, my recent Life Membership to the Association is a highlight as well as judging at the Adelaide Royal last year. Likewise, the wonderful people I’ve met along the way who I now call friends.
None of the above would have been possible without the patience, support and tolerance of Hilda, my wife of 43 years and our family. Two of our three adult children and their families have recently commenced their own small sheep studs (minor breeds, not Polwarths) and I now enjoy supporting them and their efforts. Apples obviously don’t fall far from the tree.
In 2017, Peter won Champion Fleece of the Bendigo Agricultural Show, knocking off the Merinos including a couple of prominent studs.
