The Chalker family

We have been in the sheep and shearing industry all our lives. Originally from Taralga both Debbie and I were bought up on family farms in the wombeyan caves and Bannaby areas. Both families had shearing in their veins either contracting or just shearing in the sheds.

After leasing country and eventually buying land we sold out at Bannaby and moved to the warmer climate near Cowra. Buying our first block at Darbys Falls (Lachoona) 1500 acres whilst still contracting we loved our merino sheep and the whole industry. With the better country and river flats, we joined our cull merino ewes to terminal sires. I am not a believer in sacrificing wool cut to get a weather lamb off 6 weeks earlier in the merino sheep. I think if you can keep wool cut, bone and fertility in the merino ewes and culls and join them to a very good genetic (Glenfinnan rams) you produce a very good terminal lamb quick and easier to finish also keeping wool cut on the merino ewes getting the rewards of meat and wool.

As the family grew so did the business, purchasing more land and starting a merino stud Lach River Merinos. With the boys interested in the land we had to expand. Now with nearly 10,000 acres at Cowra and 5,800 acres on the river between Forbes and Condobolin shearing 22 000 sheep and irrigation.

Our son Brad with his wife Elena and their three Children Harper, Harry and Joey are at home on the farm. They are the driving force behind the new Glenfinnan White Suffolk Stud. They have been tirelessly catching and birth weighing lambs before and after school, recording all the data and tagging.

The Glenfinnan Stud started as a family run stud and will go back to being a family run stud and I know the grandkids are keen to keep it going.