Perth Royal Show: Philipps family scoops Suffolk sheep competition grand champion sash

Karinya Suffolk Stud in Boyup Brook claimed the grand champion sash in the Suffolk sheep competition at the 2024 Perth Royal Show out of about 50 entries vying for the title.

The competition drew six studs from Wagin, York, Boyup Brook, Narrogin and Kelmscott to the Claremont Showground on September 26.

The Philipps family won the coveted grand champion title with a July-drop ewe that judges Brendon Simpson and Rachel Chirgwin called a “tremendous” example of the Suffolk breed.

It was crowned after besting 12 other Suffolk ewes to win the champion ewe sash earlier that day, after beating another Karinya entry in the ewe born after 1 July class.

Ms Chirgwin said the grand champion would go on to become an “exceptional” future breeder.

“She made me smile when I saw her; I thought ‘that is the ewe I want in my paddock’,” Ms Chirgwin said.

“She’s got all the attributes we’re looking for in a Suffolk: she’s feminine, she’s got capacity, she’s got the length, and she’s got great depth.

“She’s got all those Suffolk attributes while still maintaining that femininity, which I believe is very important in our females.”

Karinya Suffolk stud principal Richard Philipps called the grand champion — which was sired by Karinya 1117, a home-bred ram — an “exceptional” ewe.

“We’re very excited . . . it was good to see her get rewarded,” he said.

“She’s the first generation of that drop.”

In April, she was among a group of two rams and two ewes that won Karinya the coveted interbreed champion group title at the Williams Gateway Expo sheep show.

“She was our reserve champion Suffolk ewe at Williams as well,” Mr Philipps said.

At the Perth Royal Show, the grand champion had faced-off against the champion ram, a Suffolk exhibited by the O’Neill family, of Annaghdowns Suffolk and White Suffolk Stud at McAlinden in the Shire of Boyup Brook.

The champion ram was sashed after winning the ram under 1.5 Years — Scan class against four rams from three studs.

Ms Chirgwin — who owns Curlew Valley Suffolk Stud in South Australia’s Clare Valley — called the champion ram a “cracking example” of the Suffolk breed.

“He’s got that beautiful siring head, great neck extension, he’s smooth through those shoulders, nice strong backline, down through a full hindquarters — there’s a heap of meat in there,” she said.

“He’s tidy underneath, he paraded beautifully, he’s the complete package: what a beautiful young ram.”

She said the calibre of this year’s champion ram and champion ewe indicated a “very exciting” future for the Suffolk breed in Australia.

“I’d love to see the progeny of these two, two years from now . . . because I think these are just tremendous animals and a real credit to their breed,” Ms Chirgwin said.

The reserve champion ram sash went to a July drop ram exhibited by Karinya, which earlier won the ram born after July 1 class against two other entries.

The reserve champion ewe sash went to the Cole family, of Sasimwa Suffolk and White Suffolk studs at York.

The “tremendous young ewe” had progressed to the Champion class after winning the pair of ewes under 1.5 years class, where it bested eight ewes from four studs.

Annaghdowns claimed the win in the breeders group under 1.5 years class for its group of two ewes and one ram.

Karinya was second and Sasimwa third out of four groups in that class.

Annaghdowns also won the group of three rams under 1.5 years class, with Karinya placing second and Alibry third out of four groups.

Judge Brendon Simpson, of The Valley Hampshire Down Stud at Brigadoon, said the winning trio of rams were “very well balanced”.

“There is a select three in here that really suits our type and our taste: very true, very correct, and I think they’ll do a really good job when they go out into the paddock and get to work,” he said.