TATTYKEEL have once again shown their dominance at the Sydney Royal, taking home all five major awards in the interbreed competition, including the supreme exhibit, a champion Poll Dorset ewe.
In a battle akin to sibling rivalry, the supreme ram and ewe, both Poll Dorsets and half-siblings from the Oberon stud, went head-to-head in the contest for supreme exhibit in their debut showing.
When awarding the top prize, judge Peter Matus noted that the milk-tooth ewe was "beautifully balanced", commending her combination of muscle depth and femininity.
"There's a tremendous muscularity that she's got and some would be concerned by this, but she's still a beautifully feminine ewe," he said.
"When I came into the shed, that was the first sheep that I really observed and in my mind, she's a worthy winner."
The pair came together to compete for the JA and MY Gilmore Perpetual Trophy for the best ram and ewe combination, with judge Reece Webster saying the winners "basically just pick themselves".
Fellow judge Paul Routley agreed, saying the pair were "pretty much faultless".
"In my eyes, they're a clear winner," he said.
"There is an extremely strong ram, and as we commented before, he's extremely smooth, great barrel, great bone.
"They've both got great top lines, great softness, great long, neck extensions."
From the same ram, both supreme animals also come from strong ewe lines.
The female's maternal grandsire won champion Poll Dorset ram at the 2014 national sheep show, while the ram's maternal grandsire was supreme Sydney Royal Poll Dorset exhibit in 2014.
Tattykeel's James Gilmore, Oberon, said the ewe would be flushed in May, November and March before being bred, and the ram would be used in the embryo transfer programs next month.
Mr Gilmore said the ewe was a great example of the top-performing animals that were coming out of their program each year.
"She's got that carcase, and when you're a terminal breed, that is our number one," he said.
"Normally, if you have that amount of thickness and power you might lose that femininity, and she doesn't.
"She's still very fine, so that's probably the standout for us.
"She's just soft, deep bodied and an easy going sheep, which is what we're constantly selecting for - an animal that will finish well on pasture."
Tattykeel's Poll Dorsets also won the Peter Taylor Memorial Perpetual Trophy for top interbreed group, overcoming Rocdell White Suffolks and their stablemates, the Tattykeel Aussie Whites.
Interbreed champions
Peter Taylor Memorial Perpetual Trophy:
First: Tattykeel Poll Dorset stud, Oberon.
Second: Rocdell White Suffolk stud, Bigga.
Third: Tattykeel Australian White stud, Oberon.
JA and MY Gilmore Perpetual Trophy:
First: Poll Dorset - Tattykeel Poll Dorset stud, Oberon.
Second: Border Leicester - Wattle Farm, Temora, and Retallack, Ariah Park.
Third (tie): White Suffolk - Kinellar, Canowindra, and Rocdell, Bigga; and Texel - Tullamore Park, Donald, Victoria.
Supreme prime lamb ewe:
First: Tattykeel Poll Dorset stud, Oberon.
Second: Tattykeel Australian White stud, Oberon.
Third: Rocdell White Suffolks, Bigga.
Supreme prime lamb ram:
First: Tattykeel Poll Dorset stud, Oberon.
Second: Kinellar White Suffock, Canowindra.
Third: Wattle Farm Border Leicester, Temora.
Supreme exhibit: Tattykeel.
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Karen Bailey
Agricultural markets analyst and journalist for The Land newspaper. Former national cattle and lamb/sheep market analyst with Meat and Livestock Australia.
Agricultural markets analyst and journalist for The Land newspaper. Former national cattle and lamb/sheep market analyst with Meat and Livestock Australia.
