A RUN of success at the NSW Dorset Championships, Cowra, which began in 1998, has continued for the Rowley family, Springwaters stud, Boorowa.
In the Poll Dorset ram judging the Rowley family achieved an almost complete sweep of the champion and reserve champion awards.
Springwaters took out both the junior champion and reserve junior champion Poll Dorset ram titles before progressing to grand and reserve grand champion Poll Dorset rams.
The supreme exhibit stakes were contested with a final line-up of the Springwaters grand champion Poll Dorset ram, the grand champion Poll Dorset ewe from the Armstrong family's Armdale Park stud, Marrar and the champion Dorset Horn ram from Keith Koble, Kei-Vale stud, Boorowa.
Taking the top honour was the Springwaters ram.
The August 2013-drop ram, SW900-13, was by Sunnybank 33-10, a ram the Rowley family bought from Tasmanian stud Sunnybank for $5000 at the Australasian Dorset Championships, Bendigo, in 2011.
Sunnybank 33-10 also sired the ram that won the Rowley's the supreme gong at last year's NSW Champion- ships, senior champion SW286-12.
SW900-13 was placed first in his class at this year's Sydney Royal.
This was the fifth time since Springwaters started showing at Cowra in 1998 that the Rowley family has taken out the supreme title.
The senior champion ram, SW14-13, was reserve grand champion.
SW14-13 was by SW430-11, a ram that won the woolly ram class at the 2012 Sydney Royal.
Father and daughter duo, Gordon and Charlotte Close, Closeup Stud, Finley, were awarded the senior reserve champion ram with Closeup 116-13 sired by Armdale Park 652-10.
The Closeup ram was of one of the pair under 18 months that won their class.
Springwaters also won the Australian Poll Dorset Association Trophy for one ram and two ewes as well as the Hermes Strike Rate Award.
The Strike Rate Award came into existence after the 1998 show when the Rowley's brought three rams to the show and achieved an almost complete sweep of the major awards.
The Strike Rate Award recognises the stud that achieves the most success with the least number of sheep.
The Armstrong's Armdale Park continued there success at Cowra taking home the grand champion ewe ribbon.
The ewe, Armdale Park 72-13, in her first showing, earlier won her ewe under 18 months class, and was sired by Armdale 24-10 which won reserve grand champion ram at Canberra Royal in 2011.
Garry Armstrong, Armdale Park, said it is always pleasing to get a win first up.
"By Armdale 24-10 there were already show records, it is good to see these genetics follow through," he said.
"I guess it's what the judges are looking for - a long smooth type of sheep with plenty of meat in them."
Judge Chris Badcock, Fairbank Poll Dorsets, Hagley, Tasmania, said the champion ewe had correct balance and was well finished.
"I particularly liked the shape of the ewe; she has beautiful length," he said.
Armdale Park won the Symbah Trophy ram lamb dropped after April 1 with AP88-14, sired by Tattykeel 1098-12.
The Armstrongs also won the ewe lamb class with Armdale 6-14, sired by Armdale 224-12, reserve champion ram at the 2013 Dorset Championships by Hillden 123-10.
Reserve grand champion ewe was shown by Rene stud, Culcairn, who came first in the milk tooth shorn ewe class.
The reserve ewe was sired by Ulandi Park 35, who was sold at the 2011 Bendigo Dorset sale for $26,000.
Dennis Rowley, Springwaters Stud, said that it was pleasing to see the judge select structurally sound sheep with well-filled hindquarters.
"Prime lamb breeders are advocating the need for this type of sheep with an ability to finish quickly to either trade or export weights," Mr Rowley said.
Performance ram objective measurement class was won by the Frost family, Hillden Poll Dorset Stud, with Hillden 234-13.
The April 2013-drop ram weighed 125 kilograms, had a 49 millimetre eye muscle depth (EMD), and a fat scan of 11mm.
In second place in the performance ram objective measurement class was Springwaters with their ram SW 228-13 that weighed 136kg, had an EMD of 50mm and fat scan of 9mm.
In third was Tymon Poll Dorset stud exhibited by E Clark and P Grant, Loudawn, Cowra, with Tymon 140-13
Hillden also won the Cornwell Trophy Sires Progeny group, the Armdale Trophyfor a group of three rams in wool or shorn and the Most Successful Poll Dorset exhibitor title.
