• about us
• stud history
• breeding aims
• vale - Jim Prentice - 1949 to 2010

About Us

In recent years, we at Kurralea have concentrated very heavily on producing big, high growth rate sheep that are still very structurally sound.

This philosophy has undoubtedly helped us to be successful in the two arenas of the show ring and performance sectors. Our show success has been very consistent over the last decade culminating in the great successes we enjoyed in Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne Royals.     more details....

Kurralea has also enjoyed much success in the sale ring, topping many sales at Shows, their on-property auctions and private sales.

Stud History

POLL DORSET STUD

Kurralea Poll Dorset Stud was founded in 1975 with the purchase of 14 Stud Ewes and a Stud Ram from the famous Alleynside Stud.
In 1980 the entire Cherry Tree Stud from Forbes, NSW was purchased.
Probably the most influential instrodution in the early days was the purchase of Alleynside 186-80 for $4300, being the top priced ram at the Alleynside dispersal. This ram had a huge impact on the stud and largely contributed to elevating the Kurralea stud to the position in the industry it enjoys today.

Since then Kurralea has spared no effort in obtaining the very best genetics available to the breed.

In 1989, Ashbank "Quartermaster" was purchased in partnership with Allendale stud for $21000.
The stud was expanded again in 1991 withe the purchase of the entire Jacks Well Stud from SA. These big robust sheep blended in perfectly at Kurralea and have produced many outstanding sheep in the past few years.

WHITE SUFFOLK STUD

Kurralea White Suffolk Stud was founded in 1999 with the purchase of 70 white suffolk stud ewes from Galaxy Park, Detpa Grove and Allendale and the transfer of the entire flock of Kurralea Poll Dorset x Texel cross ewes.  These were magnificent group of ewes and have provided the springboard for a very successful White Suffolk Stud.

Kurralea has achieved much in the short history of the White Suffolk Stud, including Champion and First ribbons at Royal Shows and top-priced rams at Adelaide Royal Elite Sale.

 

Breeding Aims

Kurralea aims to produce sheep that are:

• big
• high growth rate
• very structurally sound

Kurralea Sires and their progeny continue to dominate LAMBPLAN, however Kurralea still maintain a strict policy of making selections on a visual basis first.

 

Vale Jim Prentice
1949 to 2010

The Australian sheep industry lost one of its most successful breeders on Friday 24th September 2010 when Jim Prentice, from Ariah Park in NSW passed away after a short battle with cancer.
James Ernest Prentice, or to all who knew him, Jim was born at Temora on the 28th December 1949. He was a quiet achiever and most people in this state will know him from his visits to the Adelaide Royal Show with his Kurralea Poll Dorset and later, White Suffolk sheep.
He commenced his Poll Dorset stud in 1975 and arguably has had the most successful stud in Australia over the last decade or so. Certainly his trips to the Adelaide and Melbourne Royals were laced with championships, a feat duplicated with his White Suffolks in more recent years.
Kurralea still holds the national on-property record price for a Poll Dorset ram when the stud sold one of its 2005 offering for $26,000, surpassing the $25,000 record, also achieved by Kurralea. Also, Kurralea "5 Star" is arguably the most famous ram in the industry in the last 30 years; and industry changing sire with numerous semen sales around the country.
Only 2 meat sheep industry sales in this country have grossed over $500,000, both at Kurralea, in 2005 and fittingly this year, 4 days after his passing.

He was also a wonderful sportsman, a record of success that few may have known due to his modesty. Jim played VFL football for South Melbourne (now the Sydney Swans) under legendary coach Norm Smith from 1970 to 1974. In 1974 he snapped his Achilles tendon which effectively ended his VFL (or AFL as it is now known) career.

He actually started his senior football career with Ariah Park-Mirrool as an 18 year old and within 2 years had won selection in the South West League’s representative side. After the South Melbourne stint he was the runaway winner of the League’s Gammage Medal, a feat he repeated in 1977. In 1978 he played in Tasmania for Devonport and scooped the pool in playing awards including the coveted Wander Medal. He also represented Tasmania against Queensland and Victoria. He captained the state against Victoria and won the medal for best on ground, playing on a bloke called Blight!
Jim played in 6 grand finals but did not get to taste victory until the last of these, when at age 37 and playing for and coaching Girral-West Wyalong in the Northern Riverina League he got to celebrate his and that club’s first ever premiership. He finally hung up his boots in 1991.

While best known outside of the area for his football deeds, his first sporting love was with cricket. He was a great batsman and wicket keeper, as was his father. He scored 55 centuries during his career and had much more success with cricket premierships winning 11 of these during his long and distinguished career. He was proud to have played in a representative side against the touring Indian side.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Kim and children Derek & Angela (from his first marriage), Ben, Sophie and Clare. Jim and Kim’s eldest daughter Sasha was tragically killed in a school bus accident in 1994. Jim’s greatest loves in life probably explain his make up - his family, his faith, and his farm. This focus enabled him to be very positive about life and optimistic about the future.
(Well over 500 people attended his funeral at Ariah Park)

Jim Prentice was a lot of things - a top sportsman; he was a dedicated farmer and a wonderful sheep breeder. He was a man of faith, a fantastic father and family man; a husband to Kim, who likewise was an absolutely magnificent wife and life partner to Jim. To simplify things we could say that he was just a great bloke.