The Frost family of Hillden stud, Bannister, have taken out the supreme champion Poll Dorset exhibit at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show over the weekend, making that two in a row over as many weeks.
Progressing its way through the classes, out of a line-up of 142 Poll Dorset rams, the ram weighed 145.5 kilograms, measured a fat depth of 9 millimetres, a muscle depth of 54mm, and a muscle width of 108mm.
Initially awarded the class winner of ram under one-and-a-half years, the ram then progressed to senior champion, followed by champion ram, before it eventually took out the supreme title.
Judge Andrew Scott, Valley Vista Poll Dorsets, Coolac, said he was impressed with how well the ram was put together.
“He is correct on all feet, has a good front to end set up, a good front line, and doesn’t do anything wrong when it walks,” Mr Scott said.
“He has a tremendous sirey outlook, and will be very useful to the stud.”
James Frost, Hillden, said the ram had always been a stand out.
“He’s a really well put together ram,” Mr Frost said.
Mr Frost said they will retain the ram in the stud, and join it to their ewes later in the year.
Mr Scott said the top two Poll Dorsets were two good exhibits of the breed.
The reserve champion, who was the champion ewe, belonged to Yentrac, Tatura, Victoria.
Mr Scott said the ewe had a body to a tremendous scale.
“I was particularly impressed by her neck section and how well she stood on her feet,” he said.
Border Leicesters
The Border Leicester breed dominated the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA) long-wool section at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show.
Temora Border Leicester stud, Wattle Farm, owned by the Sutton family, made their presence felt winning a swag full of awards in the Border Leicester judging.
Amongst those was junior champion ram, grand champion ram, junior champion ewe, grand champion ewe as well as the most successful Border Leicester exhibitor.
The grand champion ewe went on the become the supreme Border Leicester exhibit of the show.
In the ASSBA judging she was put to the top of the class, sashed supreme interbreed ewe of the show.
Wattle Farm Twilight, an August 2015-drop ewe, previously won the supreme long wool interbreed ewe at the Australian Sheep Show, Bendigo in July.
Twighlight is sired by Coolawang Impact The First and out of a Wattle Farm Destiny ewe.
Wattle Farm stud principal, Jeff Sutton, said Twilight will remain in the Wattle Farm show team before hopefully having a lamb towards the middle of 2017.
Mr Sutton said they have had a successful year in the showing, winning at Sydney Royal, NSW Sheep Show, Dubbo and Australian Sheep and Wool Show, Bendigo.
“But with an exceptional year in the show ring, comes many many years of hard work with it,” Mr Sutton said.
Other studs to take home ribbons from NSW were Bauer Border Leicesters, Ariah Park and Wollondale Hampshire Downs, Towering.
Judge Greg Good, Shearwood, Millthorpe, was one of four, on the panel of the ASSBA judging. “
They were all of good quality and a great representation of each breed,” Mr Good said.
“Every breed is unique in its own right and it’s not always biggest is best – each breed has it’s own characteristics.”
