Member for the Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay, played host to Her Excellency during her time in Armidale and at the show.

He told The Express it was an honour to have her accept an invitation to attend the show.

“To have her here was a real coup, she’s no stranger to our region, but I was just so delighted she made it here once again,” he said.

“It was a great opportunity to keep her updated with local events.”

Her Excellency involved herself with the show’s proceedings, much to the pleasure of all the stud breeders and judges involved in the event.

“People were so pleased she undertook a speech and presented trophies,” Mr Torbay said.

“Her supportive comments about the region and the wool industry were very welcome and an acknowledgement of the great show that took place.”

The show displays the results of genetic choices for breeding, with fine, ultrafine and superfine wool of their stock being examined and compared, awarding the owner with the highest quality wool.

“It (the show) is a proud event, and should be given its history, so it was a real honour to have her here to celebrate,” Mr Torbay said.

This year, Hamish McLaren from Nerstane Stud, in the Walcha region, was the supreme winning breeder, also selling his ram for the highest price in the following day’s sale at $2200.

Chair of the Armidale Housed Merino Show and Sale, Rod Kent, was the lucky buyer of the stud ram.

“Out of the 103 rams for sale, 81 were sold, for an average of $3416, with the top price at $2200 and the second highest at $1600,” Mr Kent said.

The event was a success for those involved in Merino breeding, echoed by the governor’s positive words for the merino farmers.

Her Excellency described them as, ‘the salt of the earth’, and praised ‘the fine animals on display’ as ‘a reflection of the care and professionalism of the stud breeders.’