History of the Australian Wiltipoll.

Introduction:
The history of the breed began when in 1952 the Crossthwaite family imported a small flock of stud Wiltshire Horn sheep, a wool shedding meat breed to Western Australia from England.
With high wool prices and demand for fatter lambs the breed declined in popularity and it was nearly extinct in Australia by the end of the 1960's.
In 1970 sheep from the original flock were brought to Victoria by the late Mr Leo Harwood establishing the Bara Simbil Stud, thus forming the foundation of all existing Wiltshire Horn Studs today.
In 1972 Greg and Margie Toll established a flock at Gunbower, Victoria, which is still flourishing today.

The Pioneer Breeders:
In 1978 Noel and Prue Bonnin, David and Dilys Craven and Bob Burston bought purebred Wiltshire Horn rams and first -cross Border Leicester/Wiltshire Horn ewes and moved to South Australia's Hindmarsh valley.
In 1994 Annie and Tom Hughes from Broken Hill purchased ewes and rams from both these breeders and from Bara Simbil and proceeded to breed selectively for poll. They believed the Wiltshire Horn breed would be a much more efficient producer of prime lambs for the market place without horns.

Early work in the breed's development:
The poll gene was introduced initially by the mating of a purebred Wiltshire Horn ram to a ewe of a polled breed. The first cross was then back-crossed to a Wiltshire Horn ram successively for four generations until the fifth cross of 96.87% Wiltshire Horn blood was reached. Once this upgrading stage was complete the interbreeding stage began. Fifth crosses that retained the poll gene were mated together to become the foundation of the Wiltipoll breed. 
Geneticist Mr Scott Dolling advised that any poll breed  could be used to introduce the poll gene provided that the back-crossing program was strictly adhered to until a sufficient percentage of Wiltshire Horn blood was attained.

Historic First Meeting 1997:
The Australian Wiltipoll Association Inc. was established on 20th November 1996 by Annie Hughes who together with her husband chose the name "Wiltipoll" to describe these polled wool-shedding sheep. The Inaugural Meeting of the Association was held at the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, Wayville in Adelaide on 8th March 1997. Nine breeders attended and Annie Hughes was elected President. Brian Wilson was elected Vice President, Lizzie Hughes Secretary/Treasurer and Chief Executive Officer. San Jolly and Dean Squires formed the rest of the committee. The number of members recorded belonging to the Association at that meeting was 22. The members established requirements for registration of Wiltipoll sheep
              *  no less than 96.87% Wiltshire Horn blood
              *  must be polled
              *  must totally shed their fleece annually.
Annie Hughes presented the meeting with proposed Constitution, Statement of Purposes, Association Rules and Regulations based on flock registers of other sheep breeds, for approval by the members. A membership fee of $10 per annum was set. 

Genetic Advisor
Mr Scott Dolling offered his services to the Association as honorary geneticist in 1998 and since then has willingly donated his time and expertise in advising the Association on the development of the breed. Mr Dolling has created a Classing Lattice as a guide for the breeding of Wiltipoll sheep for distribution to the members.

Flock Book
Volume 1 of the ''Flock Register for Wiltipoll sheep in Australia'' was published in March 1997 and was compiled from the Flock Returns lodged by members of the Association in December 1996. It contained the histories of 13 registered flocks. The Association numbered 23 members at the time of printing. In 2005 the Association numbered 94 members, with 80 stud flocks established. 

Flock Numbers
Flock numbers were allocated in chronological order as they were received with Flock 100 reached in 8 years

Official Newsletter
It was felt essential for the continued promotion of the breed that a Wiltipoll breed society newsletter be established and produced each year.

Exhibition of Wiltipoll sheep
In 1996 Wiltipoll ewes and rams were first exhibited by Annie and Tom Hughes of Kars Pastoral Co Broken Hill NSW at the Royal Farm Expo Wayville Adelaide. In 2005 Wiltipoll ewes and rams were first exhibited competitively by Brian and Neroli Smith of Boyanup WA at the Royal Perth Show.

Other Highlights
In 2002 the Australian Wiltipoll Association Inc. held its 1st Field Day at San Jolly's property at Kapunda SA. Thirty people attended.
In 2005 the 2nd Field day was held at Annie and Tom Hughes property at Strathalbyn SA and over ninety people attended.
In 2005 four Wiltipoll rams were exported by Annie and Tom Hughes to Bob Jackman of Tolaga Bay New Zealand.
In 2006 San Jolly's Wiltipoll and Wiltshire Horn sale was featured on Landline on ABC TV.
In 2007 membership of the Association reached 170 members and the total number of flocks established reached 141.

Sales

• 2006 San Jolly held the first public auction of Wiltipoll sheep with her on property sale held at Keith
  SA.30 rams were sold to a top price of $2600, average price $905.
  133 Ewes were sold to a top price per ewe of $600, average price $299
• Harry and Jill Powell's on property sale was held at Coolah NSW.
  45 rams sold to a top price of $2000 with an average price of $1084.
  55 ewes and 27 ewe lambs were sold. 5 year old ewes made a top price of $850 and averaged $630. Ewe lambs made up to $900 and averaged $795.
• 2006 The first SA combined breeders sale of registered sheep was held at the Mt Pleasant Show grounds.
  49 rams were sold to a top price of $1450 with an average price of $660
  39 ewes were sold to a top price of $840 with an average price of $640
  
• 2006 Brian and Neroli Smith held a Wiltipoll and Wiltshire Horn sale at at the Gidgegannup Showgrounds WA.
  Sale details: 7 ewes were sold. Top price ewe $990, average price $803.
  17 rams were sold. Top price ram $908, average price $660.