Lambs a major hook

This year's competition, run with the Orana Mutual Dubbo Show, featured all new sponsors and offered more than $12,000 in cash and prizes.

A whopping 450 lambs were entered by both commercial and stud breeders from across the State this year.

While a large variety of breeds were represented, it was White Dorpers that stole the show, securing a swag of champion ribbons for the breed - including grand champion combined hoof and hook pen.

This was claimed by Steve Cresswell, Annalara White Dorper stud, Dubbo, who also placed third in both the trade hoof and trade hook classes.

Coming in as reserve champion combined hoof and hook was a pen of export class Poll Dorset/SAMM cross lambs exhibited by Cameron McPher- son, Junee, using his own genetics, Myrtle Vale Poll Dorset rams over Rosemere SAMM ewes.

The same pen also took out the champion hoof pen.

Graham Pickles, Burrawang Dorper and White Dorper stud, Ootha, was named most successful exhibitor of the competition, placing first in four classes, including the highest scoring individual carcase, and reserve in two.

Mr Pickles received the highest scoring individual carcase for one of his White Dorper lambs.

The pen of lambs averaged 43.5 kilograms liveweight, 24.7kg carcase weight and had a 56.75 per cent yield.

Pens entered by Mr Pickles placed first in the trade hoof class and again in the trade hook class while also securing reserve champion in the hoof section and reserve champion in the hook section.

White Dorpers featured once again in the champion line-up when Matt and Kate Spry, Spry's White Dorper stud, Tamworth took the champion hook category.

It was a Poll Dorset that claimed the heaviest lamb in show, exhibited by Glynn Bruce, Cumnock.

The lamb weighed in at 89.5kg live weight and 53.6kg dressed.

The most successful school entry went to Yanco Agricultural High School for its pen of White Suffolks while Macquarie Anglican Grammar School, Dubbo came in as second with its Poll Dorset/Merino cross lambs.

Competition committee members Dave Amor and Terry Mitchell said they were already receiving positive feedback from this year's entrants and onlookers.

"We knocked back about 50 entries from this year's competition but we've received a lot of interest and expect next year's event to be even bigger and better," Mr Mitchell said.

"Those that didn't place in the competition are already wanting to enter and try to win next year."

It was tight competition according to Mr Mitchell, who said there was only a small margin between winners.

As a result of this year's feedback, Mr Amor said the committee was planning to add breed categories as well as the interbreed category to include even more opportunity for entrants to win.

"It will almost be a show within a show with the chance for breeders to compare their sheep to others of the same breed on both hook and hoof, as well as other breeds," Mr Amor said.

Next year's competition could potentially include a separate 90-day feedlot and paddock trial.

"This would be a separate trial where we run all the lambs under the same conditions in the paddock and into the feedlot," Mr Mitchell said.

"These lambs would be judged and processed about two weeks before the show with the winning vendors to be announced at the show."