Local farmers Des and Irene Ryan enjoyed a successful trip to the Rabobank National Merino Show back in August, coming home with a reserve champion ribbon on their second visit. “Last year we decided we’d try showing a few sheep, so we took our ewes out to Hay and then up to Dubbo,” Des said. “We didn’t do any good last year, but this year we decided to have another crack. This proved to be a wise decision, with the Ryan’s winning reserve champion ribbon in the medium/strong pen of five flock ewes event. Des has been buying his rams from Lachlan Merinos at Forbes since 2011, and it was the stud who suggested he take some ewes on the road for the show. “They encouraged us promote their sheep a bit as well, and they were pleased we went out there,” he said. “When we came up here we tried various studs trying to find the type of sheep I like, and ever since we got onto Lachlan they’ve been great.” Irene added that visiting the shows have made for a social and family outing, with their children and grandchildren coming from Orange and Canberra to support. “Sheep people are always friendly, it’s nice to catch up and meet people when we go away,” Irene said. The Ryan’s live at Pinedale, about 20 kilometres northwest of Temora, and have done for over 30 years since making the move north from Victoria. With the season on their side they’ve enjoyed a strong 2026, with cropping and livestock operations running well. Metrics from this year’s Australian Merino Production Trial came back favourably, with the Ryan’s registering clean and greasy fleece weights well above trial average. “I’d say this year is the best wool year we’ve ever had,” Des said. Passion for the tradition of merino growing keeps the wheels turning at Pinedale, “In the district there’s a bit more of a swing towards shedding sheep,” Des said. “There are blokes who’ve gone out of wool production and into Dorpers and Aussie Whites where you don’t have to shear them and worry about lice or flies or anything. “Then some of us are old school and we just like growing wool, so we stick with merino sheep and wool production.” Pinedale is now on the market as Des and Irene look to wind down, with their success at the National show a memento to three decades on the land locally.
