Carol and Allan Phillips have won the Zegna Superfine Wool Trophy

Sticking with superfine wool production has paid off for one Tasmanian wool operation which has just won the country’s most prestigious wool award.

KAROLIN MACGREGOR, Tasmanian Country

March 27, 2020 12:29pm

Allan Phillips in his wool shed

A Tasmanian wool operation has won the country’s most prestigious superfine wool award.

Deddington wool growers Carol and Allan Philips have been named as the winners of this year’s Ermenegildo Zegna Superfine Wool Trophy.

The winning bale of 14.6 micron superfine wool was shorn off a flock of three year old merinos wethers which had been grazing on native pastures on the couple’s property Glen Stuart.

The Phillips are no strangers to wool awards, and came second in last year’s Zegna competition.

They have also won a number of prestigious titles over the years, however this is the first time they have won Zegna Superfine Trophy.

Now in its 57th year, the competition is run by prestigious Italian fabric company Ermenegildo Zegna, in conjunction with the Australian Superfine Woolgrower Association and is aimed at recognising the country’s outstanding wool producers.

All the wool in the competition, which is judged as a whole bale, not just a single fleece, is assessed by independent judges according to a strict set of criteria including fineness, style, strength, colour and evenness.

“You never know with these type of competitions because the judging is quite subjective and they look at a lot of things, but we’re absolutely thrilled to have won,” Mr Phillips said.

The Phillips run about 3000 sheep on their property and the winning bale was shorn in October last year.

Mr Phillips said while he does all the wool classing at Glen Stuart, some of the credit for the award win also has to go to the shearing team and shed staff.

“Our shearers did a very good job and the shed staff were all very professional and it doesn’t happen without them, so they can definitely take some of the credit,” he said.

Mr Phillips said the winning bale was made up of the top-line of fleeces from their three year old wethers.

“It was just a nice clean traditional style wool,” he said.

“The bush runs work really well for superfine wool because they produce a very even growth rate and the type of wool the companies like to process.”

Second place in this year’s Zegna competition also went to Tasmanian wool growers and was won by Simon and Ann Louise Cameron from the Kingston property at Conara.

Other Tasmanians in the top ten of this year’s awards were Rodney and Carol Westmore from Patterdale at Deddington who placed seventh and Robert Freeman from Rose Villa at Ross who took home ninth place with his bale.

Mr Philips said the number of Tasmanian growers included in this year’s top ten was an indication of how professional the state’s superfine industry is.

“Tassie has done exceedingly well, he said.

“We possible had a slightly better season than some of the mainland states, but the Tasmanian superfine growers who have remained in the industry have really had to step things up to get to this level so it’s great to see.”