Despite the tough season there were 119 pens of trade, export and heavy export lambs entered in the Dubbo Prime Lamb Hoof and Hook competition, up from 112 last year.
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It was Brian Lewis and Rosh Mercer, Glencoe, who had the highest combined score for their hoof and hook results, with 176.8 points awarded for their pen of White Suffolks.
Their closest competition was themselves, the couple also taking out the reserve highest combined score of 174.5 points for a second pen.
The results made them most successful exhibitor of the day.
Mr Lewis said they were over-the-moon with how they did in the competition.
The couple have bred White Suffolks for the last eight years, after buying some rams in from Dugald and Bec McIndoe at Smithston Farms, Glencoe.
Although they have been entering the competition for years it was their first time attending the presentation at Dubbo.
They said the effort of entering the competition is always worth it.
"To get the feedback is incredible," Ms Mercer said.
Local Dubbo family, the Shanks won the hoof section of the competition, with a pen of their Poll Dorsets given the top score of 93.5 points, just 0.5 points ahead of the reserve champion hoof pen from Craig and Caroline Chad from Double C Pastrol with their White Suffolks.
Ben Shanks said they had been selling their lambs to the Dubbo saleyards for the last couple of months.
"We're just happy to know that what we've been doing seems to be the right thing," Mr Shanks said.
Last week Shanks Farms topped the Dubbo saleyards. Their lambs sold for $270 a head, while this week they made $298.
In the hook section of the competition, the Jones family's Boxdale Dorpers were named grand champion with a score of 87.7.
Max Jones, Boxdale Dopers and White Dorpers, Condobolin said they were pleased to see their sheep could stand up in a drought year as well as a quality year.
"It was somewhat a surprise for us, I hadn't fed them much at all and they still did very well," Mr Jones said.
"Last year we took champion Dorper but to be best hook across the competition was pretty amazing for us and it's what we aspire to, to breed a good carcase lamb that does well in any conditions."
The reserve champion hook pen went to Brad and Nathanial Honeysett, Gulgong with their pen of White Suffolks attracting a score of 83.6.
The champion sucker entry went to Kinellar White Suffolk & Poll Dorset Stud with their Poll Dorsets earning 169.5 points.
Kevin and Ross McMahon, Tullamore won both the heaviest live weight lamb in show and the heaviest carcase in show.
A pen of their Poll Dorsets weighed an average of 98.5kg live and 54.2kg dressed.
Farrer Memorial Agricultural High were named champion school entry with 170.7 points, St Johns College just behind them with 168.6 points.
Tracey Lamb and Edwina Toohey from the NSW DPI Extensive Livestock Team and Brett Stockings, Fletcher International Exports judged the hook section, while Tom Smith, Tallangatta Meats and Austin Finlayson, Fletcher International Exports judged the hoof.
Mr Jones thanked the committee that organised the event.
"I think as a sheep producer we're really lucky to have events like the hoof and hook and it's done really well every year," Mr Jones said.
