CONTINUING their Sydney Royal Show reign, the grand champion Poll Dorset ram and ewe from the April event have backed up their success taking the same honours at the NSW State Sheep Show over the weekend.
The eye-catching pair, exhibited by the Gilmore family of Tattykeel Poll Dorset stud, Black Springs, were unbeatable throughout the Dubbo competition also winning interbreed champion ram and ewe of show.
Rising to the top of the field of 31 Poll Dorset sheep exhibited by four studs, Tattykeel 210113 won champion ram and supreme Poll Dorset exhibit of show under judge Daryl Dixon of Ashbank Poll Dorset and White Suffolk stud, Dubbo.
He was by Tattykeel 'Mastermind' 170014, the $27,000 top-priced ram sold by the stud in 2018 to the Fern Hill stud, Glen Innes, that also sired the 2021 supreme sheep of show and Dubbo Show supreme inter-species exhibit, Tattykeel 'Masterclass' 200060.
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Coming from the shorn ram under 1.5 years, he had also won the supreme prime lamb ram at the 2022 Sydney Royal, and impressed judged Mr Dixon with extra quality among a terrific line up of Poll Dorset rams.
"It is hard to find anything wrong with him - he has the type, substance, balance and parades well," he said.
He out-classed the reserve champion Poll Dorset ram, Tattykeel 210018, for the tri-colour sash.
Coming from the pair of rams under 1.5 years class, he was out of the same ewe (Tattykeel 160882) which produced three full-flush siblings that averaged close to $30,000 in the 2021 Tattykeel Poll Dorset stud sale. He was sired by Tattykeel 190731.
"The reserve doesn't have the quality and might be a tad shorter than the champion, but he is still a deep, even, well-balanced ram with good Dorset type," Mr Dixon said.
James Gilmore of Tattykeel said both the rams would potentially sold in the stud's sale in September.
Champion Poll Dorset ewe went to Tattykeel 210131 which came from the pair of two ewes under 1.5 years class. She was the supreme prime lamb ewe and exhibit at Sydney Royal this year.
"She is a very correct ewe with length, depth and width, good Dorset type and a good clean head and body," Mr Dixon said.
Sired by Tattykeel 'Masterclass' 200060, who was the supreme at both Dubbo and Sydney Royal last year, and having a double cross of Tattykeel 150273 the 2016 Sydney Royal supreme exhibit in here pedigree, Mr Gilmore said she will be flushed in November.
It was "splitting hairs" when it came down to the final decision between the champion ram and ewe for the supreme title, with Mr Dixon saying they are two fantastic sheep.
"You could go either way for supreme, but it is harder to breed good rams and hard to get a ram with this quality," he said.
"He has the length, a strong topline that he carriers over his hindquarter and down his side... he has great Dorset type."
Reserve champion ewe went to the champion's pair mate and half-sibling, Tattykeel 210003, also by Masterclass.
The group of one ram, two ewes and group of three rams classes were won by Tattykeel, who also were the most successful exhibitor within the Poll Dorset section.
Cranbook Poll Dorsets, Canowindra won both the ram and ewe objective measurement classes.
