Successful bloodlines rise to the top in the any other breed judging

It was 'chalk and cheese' in the any other breed sheep classes at the 2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show on April 17, with various breeds on offer.

Three studs offered Dorset Horns, Australian Lincolns, and Dorest Downs, to be inspected by judge Bianca Williams, Gilgandra.

However, it was the Australian Lincoln ram, Allaray 23-074, exhibited by Helen Ryan, Allaray Australian Lincoln stud, Ryan, near Henty, who was named the grand champion ram.

Ms Williams said judging the class was like chalk and cheese between him and the reserve grand champion ram Avoca 24-602, exhibited by Ben Campbell, Gulgong.

"It's a bit difficult straight up to judge a Lincoln ram and a Dorset Horn ram," she said.

"So I had to get a bit picky and go back to the purpose and the representation of the Lincoln breed.

"The ram has a lovely fleece that holds its characteristics right through the fleece, and it does stand up really well, especially on his front feet."

Ms Ryan said the winning ram was closely related to a ram she exhibited last year who won the same award.

"It's a really good bloodline in my flock and they consistently come out they way he is, the ewes are similar, big strong bodies," she said.

"His been only to a couple of shows, because I didn't bring him into the show team until Christmas, so he was an older sheep, whereas usually they're lambs."

She said the placid ram was going to remain in the 40-ewe-flock as a breeder.

The Dorset Horn ewe, Avoca 24-463, was sashed the grand champion ewe for the section. Ms Williams said she was a good representation of the breed.

"She stands up square, and she holds herself from the shoulder through to her hind quarters," she said.

"She has good coverage, especially through the twist, and she parades well."

Avoca stud principal Ben Campbell said this wasn't the first broad ribbon the ewe has won.

"She was the champion ewe in Canberra and she's won all the champion ewes around our local shows," he said.

Mr Campbell said both the ewe and the reserve grand champion ram were the first progeny from a line of ewes he purchased from Hillend stud, Ballarat, Vic, in 2023 when starting the stud.

"There's only 300 ewes left in Australia, so I've just started a little stud with some new foundation ewes from Robert Grieves' stud in Victoria," he said.

"He won the Dorset Horn competitions he has gone to, he won the champion Dorset Horn ram in Canberra, and the locals show around him."

He planned to keep the two exhibits in his breeding program.

The reserve grand champion ewe ribbon was awarded to Averlane Genetics with a 2021 drop Dorset Downs ewe Averlane 210034.

Ms Williams said the ewe was a great example of the breed, but the growth rate of the grand champion ewe got her over the older ewe on the day.

Averlane Genetics stud co-principal Amanda Vernon, Mount Hallen, Qld, who made the 900-kilometre journey south, said the ewe has had a successful show career. She also had a number of offspring at home.

"She's been travelling around a fair bit this year and has been to the Queensland Royal and a few other shows throughout the last couple of years," she said.

"One of our main reasons to come was to get people to see the breed, with only about 104 ewes in the country registered in the breed, it's really important that people get the opportunity to engage with the breed and see them and know what they are."

Mrs Vernon said the family operation ran 20 registered ewes. She said it was hard to source genetics and focused on artificial insemination.