Mr Studholme, who is South Island auction manager for Wool Partners International, was judging the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand's national Golden Fleece competition last week.
The competition was hosted by the Maniototo A and P Association and attracted 136 fleeces, from Nelson to Invercargill, including several from the North Island.
Describing it as a prestigious event, Mr Studholme said he was delighted when he was asked to officiate in the strong wool section.
Fine wool was judged by New Zealand Merino commercial manager Keith Ovens.
Points were awarded for clean fleece weight, colour, soundness, staple length, crimp, staple format, handle and lustre, brightness and bulk and freedom from fault and the standard was high, he said.
Mr Studholme's involvement in the wool industry spanned 42 years.
Originally a farmer's son from Wanaka, he always enjoyed working on the farm and in the woolshed when he was a child.
After leaving school, he joined Stronach Morris in Dunedin as a junior wool classer in 1969.
He has been based in Christchurch since 1978.
He has seen "huge" changes in the industry over the years.
The technology for micron assessment was one of those innovations, which in the "old days" had to be done by eye assessment.
With improved returns, Mr Studholme was pleased farmers were starting to now look at wool as a "real part" of their farming practice, rather than a "by-product".
They were starting to refocus and, with that, preparation of wool would improve.
Standards had slipped, he said.
One of his major concerns was succession in the wool industry.
It was "sadly lacking" young people coming into it and he hoped the improved profitability would help address that situation.
There were good things happening both with fine wool and crossbred wool in terms of marketing, and he believed the industry had turned the corner.
Golden Fleece committee member Ian Smith, of Ranfurly, described the response to the competition as "unreal".
Numbers had "just flowed in" right up to the cut-off time and the quality of the fleeces was brilliant.
It augured well for next year's competition which will also be hosted by the Maniototo A and P Association.