Poll Dorsets reign supreme

The Poll Dorsets have secured their crown as interbreed king and queen for the second year in a row at the Williams British and Australasian Sheep Show.

Judges Allan Duff and Glen Cole compared the best rams, ewes and groups from eight breeds to come up with the winners.

Todd Wilson’s Willow Park stud, in Mardella, was sashed Interbreed champion ram with Max Whyte’s Brimfield ram in reserve.

Mr Whyte, based in Kendenup, claimed victory with his interbreed champion ewe, also a Poll Dorset and Texel stud JimJan was sashed reserve.

The interbreed group champion was Brimfield’s White Suffolk team consisting of a ram and two ewes pipping Willow Park’s Poll Dorset team at the post.

Mr Duff said the interbreed classes were tough to judge particularly the group class.

“We were looking for breed correctness including stature, size and carcass weight but mainly correctness,” Mr Duff said.

The Willow Park ram, which came second at last year’s Perth Royal Show, was sired by Willow Park 11406 and was part of an embryo program using a Pine Avenue ewe purchased at a dispersal sale.

This year organisers said more than 16 studs entered about 180 sheep in what was one of the biggest competitions on record.

In the Wiltshire Polls, Neribri were sashed champion ram, pair of rams, pair of ewes and group.

But the best of breed went to Eaglenook’s three-year-old ewe after winning champion ewe.

Neribri also took home a clean sweep in the Wiltshire Horns.

In the Poll Dorsets, Willow Park won pair of rams and Brimfield pair of ewes and best of breed with their champion ewe.

Boyup Brook stud JimJan was the only exhibitor in the Texels with their ram sashed best of breed.

Judge Glen Cole said the ram was a credit to the breed and stood proud of himself.

Iveston dominated in the South Suffolks with the ram sashed breed champion.

Judge Allan Duff said the ram was one of the best seen in a long time, was very structurally correct showing a lot of muscle through to the shoulder.

White Suffolks had a bumper number of entrants and while Brimfield shone, so too did Kiara, the Lockridge Senior High School stud.

Students from the school paraded the best of breed, a ewe which recently came second at the Harvey Show.

After judging Mr Cole said the ewe was a complete sheep, well fleshed and while not the biggest, couldn’t be faulted.

Burnbrook dominated all Suffolk classes taking home sashes for ram, ewe, group and pairs with the ewe sashed best of breed.

Gidgegannup Border Leicester stud Mindaroo also dominated winning ram, ewe, both pair classes and group.

Kojonup stud Willow Springs was in reserve.