NSW Saxon wool producer wins prestigious VBC excellence award

The Munsie family of New South Wales has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the esteemed Vitale Barberis Canonico (VBC) Wool Excellence Award, recognised for their long-standing dedication to superfine Saxon Merino production.

Their winning entry, submitted under the GMunsie/Big Ridge/N.E. brand, featured a 16-micron Saxon clip from the Hillcreston bloodline flock. The wool returned a yield of 76–78 percent and recorded a tensile strength of 40–45 Newtons/kilotex for grown wool.

Principal Richard Munsie said the family was honoured to be acknowledged by the Wool Excellence Club and valued VBC’s ongoing support for Australian growers. He noted that most of their mature-sheep wool sold under contract this year—accredited under SustainaWOOL—averaged around 2100c/kg. He intends to continue breeding self-replacing ultrafine Merinos while maintaining a first-cross ewe line for prime lamb production. The Merino flock has been non-mulesed for about a decade.

VBC chief executive officer Alessandro Barberis Canonico presented the award in Melbourne earlier this month, praising the Munsie family’s commitment and the broader strength of the Wool Excellence Club.

“The Wool Excellence Club is built on a shared belief—belief in quality, in sustainability, and in the people who make this industry extraordinary. Richard and his family embody this belief through their dedication and care for their land, their animals and producing this beautiful fibre,” he said.

“We thank the club, the growers, and especially this year’s winner for their ongoing commitment. Together, we continue to move forward, stronger, and with belief in what lies ahead.”

VBC, one of the world’s oldest and most respected wool mills, hosted the award ceremony at Melbourne’s new 1Hotel on 7 November. Guests included VBC representatives from Italy—led by Mr Barberis Canonico, raw material procurement manager Davide Fontaneto, and raw materials research and development manager Andrea Mercantili—alongside members of VBC Wool Australia and the Wool Excellence Club.

Now in its 11th year, the VBC Wool Excellence Award celebrates craftsmanship, sustainability, and the generational expertise behind the world’s finest Saxon wool.

VBC said the Munsie family manages Big Ridge near Uralla, a property known for producing premium Saxon Merino wool through responsible land management and a strong respect for tradition. Over successive generations, they have earned a reputation for attentive flock management, a focus on environmental stewardship, and consistent production of wool that meets the highest global benchmarks.

Set among rolling granite hills and native pastures, the Big Ridge environment is ideally suited to growing fine, bright, highly nourished wool. VBC said Richard and his family have carefully balanced traditional grazing systems with modern sustainability practices to enhance flock resilience and maintain the long-term productivity of their landscape.

According to VBC, the Big Ridge philosophy is straightforward: caring for the land so it can continue to support the sheep. This holistic approach—encompassing soil health, biodiversity, and ethical animal welfare—has underpinned the family’s reputation for producing exceptionally pure and consistent wool, perfectly aligned with VBC’s expectations for Saxon Merino.

In accepting the award, Richard Munsie expressed his gratitude to VBC and acknowledged the family members who helped shape the business.

“I’d like to thank Lou, my partner, for standing beside me, and Mum for her support since the passing of my father Greg. I am standing here today, accepting this award on behalf of my family and all the years of hard work that have got us to this point. This includes my father Greg, who recently passed two years and two weeks ago, and my uncle Peter and his family, who are here tonight,” Mr Munsie said.

“Without their commitment and dedication, I would not be here in this position receiving this award. I hope that I can carry this legacy forward and keep improving into the future for the next generation.”

VBC said the award reflects not only the exceptional standard of wool produced at Big Ridge but also the family’s enduring commitment to the land and to the values that define excellence in Saxon wool production.

The winner receives a trip to Italy’s Biella region to see their wool transformed into world-class fabrics and to experience the craftsmanship central to VBC’s heritage.

Founded in 1663 in Pratrivero in northern Italy’s Biella district, Vitale Barberis Canonico employs more than 470 staff across two state-of-the-art production sites. All VBC fabrics remain entirely ‘Made in Italy’, and the company is a proud member of Les Hénokiens—an association of family businesses with at least two centuries of history. VBC says its philosophy continues to be guided by heritage, innovation, and sustainability as it looks toward the future of fine wool and textile craftsmanship.

Source: Sheep Central