The QMSSA

During Exhibition Week in August, 1933, a few interested graziers took the opportunity of tentatively discussing the formation of a Merino Stud Sheepbreeders' Association in Queensland. A preliminary meeting was held and attended by Messrs RP Lord (Chairman), 'Victoria Downs', RB Penzer, 'Dunstan', RH Nantes, 'Kynnersley' and RS McGeoch, 'Roma Downs' and 'Weribone'. It was resolved from this meeting to form the Queensland Merino Stud Sheepbreeders' Association with the objective of assisting and promoting stud breeding in Queensland with RP Lord being elected the first President.

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The history of the QMSSA has been recorded three times. Firstly in a foundation book in 1935 (the Blue Book) secondly in 1983 as a 50th Anniversary Celebration of the QMSSA (the Red Book) with the latest (the Green Book) written in 2008 marking 75 years of the QMSSA. There are still a number of copies of the Green Book available for sale. Stud production is a critical part of the Sheep industry, and the breeding of Stud Merino rams in Queensland goes back to the days well before it was a separate State. There have been many fluctuations in the Australian wool industry over its 200 year history, which of course includes our Stud industry.

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2007 marked the 200th year of wool production in Australia. A milestone has been reached by an industry that was once

considered the backbone of the Australian economy. Whether we get back to the position the Merino once held in Australia is beyond those who breed and develop the Merino - the Studmasters - it is up to those who do product development and marketing. The modern Merino is positioned better than ever to take advantage of opportunities in the market place from a meat and wool perspective.

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"The animal which though never bestrode by jockey yet carries a nation on its back."