The Armstrong family of Armdale stud, Marrar, have taken the supreme exhibit crown at the 30th Anniversary of the New South Wales Dorset Championships, Cowra, with their grand champion Poll Dorset ram, Armdale 197.
The family also exhibited the reserve senior champion ram through their Armdale Park stud.
They dominated the senior ram classes taking four first place class ribbons before being sashed senior champion, grand champion and eventually Bromar Engineering NSW supreme exhibit with their April 2015-drop ram aptly named ‘Bromar’.
Armdale Park stud principal, Garry Armstrong, exhibited the ram for his mother, Shirley Armstrong.
The 140 kilogram ram is by Ulandi Park 178, who was also a sire of the 2016 Canberra Royal grand champion.
It was only his second showing after first lining up in Canberra in the pairs class.
Ulandi Park 178 was used through the stud’s AI program.
Both champion rams for the Armstrong family this year have come from the Ulandi sire’s first drop of lambs.
The reserve champion ram, also on his second show ring experience after winning the junior ram class in Canberra, is by Tattykeel 10-98.
Armdale finished the show off by also winning the mixed pair class of one ram and one ewe, the group of three rams as well as reserve grand champion Poll Dorset ewe.
The Rowley family, Springwaters stud, Boorowa, also had a successful showing winning the grand champion Poll Dorset ewe as well as junior champion Poll Dorset ram.
The April 2014-drop ewe, Springwaters 218-15, was sired by Springwaters 14-13, the senior champion in Cowra in 2014.
In lamb to drop in August, Cowra is expected to be her last showing for 2016.
Springwaters also won the sire’s progeny group sired by Springwaters 900-13, the supreme exhibit of Cowra in 2014.
Their junior champion ram, in his first showing, was also by Springwaters 900-13.
They also were sashed with the first place ribbon for their group of one ram and two ewes.
Reserve champion Poll Dorset ram was awarded to Marshall Douglas and family, Abelene Park, Woolomin.
The Dorset Horn section was dominated by Right Dorsets, Guyra, who won champion and reserve ribbons in both the ram and ewe classes. They were also named the most successful horn exhibitor.
Most successful Poll exhibitor went to the Frost family of Hillden stud, Bannister.
Judge Rod McCartney, Yentrac stud, Tatura, Victoria, said it was a magnificent lineup of sheep.
“The standard was very high with a lot of sheep that were well matured and full of meat,” Mr McCartney said.
“The sheep that came out on top were probably just a bit more forward than some of the other studs, their muscle pattern was superior to some of the other sheep on the floor.”
“When you see a lineup of rams like this it is a credit to every Dorset breeder.”
The two-day event wrapped up in Cowra yesterday with 171 entries from 15 studs participating.
