J. F. Guthrie Perpetual Trophy
The J F Guthrie Perpetual Trophy was first awarded in 1955.
This trophy is for the most valuable Corriedale ram’s fleece.
A Merino background
James Francis Guthrie (1872 - 1958) was a pioneering, passionate sheep-breeder and a federal politician. He was born into a merino breeding family.
Guthrie started work at the stock and station agency, Dalgety & Co and had an eventful career. He married the daughter of Dalgety’s direct competitor, lost a leg to anthrax and decided to enter politics while continuing to work at Dalgety’s. Guthrie entered parliament in 1920 and left Dalgety’s 8 years later.
Worked to promote Corriedales
Guthrie was also a director of the family company that operated his father’s stations. They purchased a station in the Northern Territory, established a Corriedale stud on two stations near Wagga and ran horse studs near Albury.
When Guthrie started his Corriedale studs in 1912 the breed was not well known in Australia. Guthrie promoted the breed with the establishment of a breeders’ association and his own international sales success.
By 1951, Corriedale were the most significant non-merino pure breed of sheep in Australia.
Mandy Bede