Character Relationship Map: Rams

Characters

• Colin (played by Sam Neill) — protagonist

  Colin is a rural sheep farmer and one of the story’s central figures. After losing the agricultural championship to Les, his estrangement from his brother becomes more bitter. He suspects Les’s prize...

• Les (played by Michael Caton) — supporting

  Les is Colin’s estranged brother and a competing sheep breeder. His ram wins the Tom Stocks Memorial Cup, intensifying Colin’s humiliation and resentment. When Colin claims the animal has OJD, Les rej...

• Kat (played by Miranda Richardson) — supporting

  Kat is the newly arrived district veterinarian and the agricultural show’s judge. She examines Les’s prize ram, identifies the suspected illness as OJD, and agrees to arrange further testing despite d...

• Angela (played by Asher Keddie) — supporting

  Angela is identified as one of the people socializing near the agricultural show while the farmers celebrate. The available events provide no further action or dialogue for her, but her presence place...

• Lionel (played by Wayne Blair) — supporting

  Lionel is part of the local farming community and is seen socializing near the agricultural show. After the shooting, he brings a younger man to Colin and questions Colin about whether Les’s ram truly...

• Fergo (played by Travis McMahon) — supporting

  Fergo is named among the people socializing near the agricultural show while the local farmers gather and celebrate. The available events do not give him any dialogue, action, or direct relationship b...

• Frenchie (played by Kipan Rothbury) — supporting

  Frenchie is present among the people socializing near the agricultural show as the farming community celebrates. The available plot gives no further action or dialogue for him, so his role is limited...

• Jackson (played by Will McNeill) — supporting

  Jackson announces the judging at the local agricultural show, where breeders compete for the Tom Stocks Memorial Cup. His role establishes the public contest in which Les’s ram defeats Colin’s animal,...

• Sally (played by Asher Yasbincek) — supporting

  Sally is named among the people socializing near the agricultural show while the farmers celebrate the competition. The available events provide no dialogue or independent action for her, but her pres...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Les → Jackson (Professional Champion And Announcer) — Les's winning entry is recognized during Jackson's announced competition.

  Jackson announces the judging at the event where Les's ram wins the championship.

• Colin → Jackson (Professional Competitor And Announcer) — Colin participates in an event administered by Jackson.

  Jackson announces the judging, and Colin presents his ram at the agricultural show.

• Jackson → Kat (Professional Event Official) — They perform official roles within the same livestock competition.

  Jackson announces the judging at the agricultural show, while Kat serves as the judge.

• Les → Kat (Professional Veterinary Subject Owner) — Kat evaluates an animal owned by Les during the disease dispute.

  Kat agrees to examine Les's prize ram and arrange testing, while Les refuses to accept that the animal could be infected.

• Colin → Kat (Professional Veterinary Client) — Colin relies on Kat's veterinary expertise while investigating the suspected disease.

  Colin contacts Kat about the symptoms he observes in Les's ram and insists that she examine the animal.

• Colin → Les (Family Brother) — They are estranged brothers whose family bond is overshadowed by long-standing resentment.

  The plot explicitly describes Colin and Les as brothers who have apparently avoided speaking for decades.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Angela → Frenchie (Social Acquaintance) — They share the community setting and social interaction at the event.

  Angela and Frenchie are both described as socializing nearby with the other farmers after the competition.

• Lionel → Sally (Social Acquaintance) — They are connected through the local gathering.

  Lionel and Sally are identified as part of the group socializing near the agricultural show.

• Lionel → Frenchie (Social Acquaintance) — They share a social connection within the farming community.

  Lionel and Frenchie are named among the people socializing nearby after the judging.

• Lionel → Fergo (Social Acquaintance) — They interact within the local gathering surrounding the show.

  Lionel and Fergo are described as socializing nearby with other members of the farming community.

• Lionel → Angela (Social Acquaintance) — They belong to the same local social circle at the event.

  Lionel and Angela are identified among the people socializing nearby after the agricultural competition.

• Colin → Lionel (Social Questioned Acquaintance) — Lionel directly engages Colin about the uncertainty surrounding the suspected infection.

  Lionel brings a younger man to Colin and presses Colin about whether the ram truly had OJD.

Story Analysis

An estranged brothers' rivalry escalates from livestock competition into violence while a suspected disease threatens their entire farming valley.

Plot Progression

1. A Bitter Showground — Colin prepares his sheep for the agricultural show, where Les's ram wins the championship. The public defeat deepens Colin's bitterness while the local farmers celebrate.
2. Suspicion in the Flock — Colin examines Les's prize ram and suspects a serious illness. He turns to Kat, who identifies possible OJD but remains cautious because the disease has not appeared locally.
3. Brothers at the Brink — Testing is arranged, but Les rejects the possibility that his champion is infected. The brothers' decades-long estrangement turns the veterinary dispute into a personal confrontation.
4. Gunfire in the Storm — Before test results are available, Colin apparently shoots at Les's prize ram during a violent storm. Les fires back and hits Colin's boot, exposing the destructive depth of their feud.
5. A Valley Under Threat — Lionel questions Colin, who admits he is uncertain about the disease and defers to Kat's expertise. The possible infection now threatens the entire valley because the ram has bred with many ewes.