Standout ewe caps off supreme day of judging for Poll Dorsets in interbreed

It came down to girl power in the judging of the supreme exhibit in the meat sheep and dual-purpose breeds interbreed, with a Suffolk ewe up against a Poll Dorset ewe at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on April 18.

The Suffolk ewe was shown by Bowen Suffolks, Millthorpe, with the Poll Dorset ewe shown by Tattykeel, Black Springs.

In a tight judging, adjudicated by a panel of 12 judges, the result went the way of the Poll Dorset, Tattykeel 240040.

It capped off a successful day for the Gilmore family at Tattykeel, who had already won the JA&MY Gilmore Perpetual Trophy with their Poll Dorset pair, made up of the champion ram and ewe from each breed, as well as the Peter Taylor Memorial Perpetual trophy for a ram and two ewes, also from their Poll Dorset showing.

Graham Gilmore, Tattykeel studs, Black Springs said it was the ewe's first outing with plans for her to be exhibited at Dubbo Show and Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show later this year.

In its path to supreme, the ewe had first won in the Poll Dorset judging, then the supreme all other breeds prime lamb ewe, before winning supreme all other breeders prime lamb exhibit - against the Tattykeel Poll Dorset ram, Tattykeel 240088.

Judge Steve Pederick, San-Souci, Bundaberg, Qld, said the ewe was a great example.

"The ewe has terrific balance, stands naturally and I think she's a great sheep," he said.

Judge Marty Koolstra, Kallista Wiltshire Horn stud, Dandenong Ranges, Vic, said the Poll Dorset ewe displayed excellent muscling in her hind quarter and he admired the amount of loin.

Mr Gilmore said it was not an easy feat to win the supreme.

"Your first win is always the one that you think the most of and it's the biggest rush, but you're only as good as your next win," he said.

"So you just have to keep fronting up and producing the sheep and you need a lot of good sheep if you want to win a lot."

The ewe was by Tattykeel 34, who was the supreme ram at Cowra Dorset Championships in 2021 and out of a Tattykeel Jackpot daughter.

Mr Gilmore said the stud had a focus on producing sheep that would get results for their clients.

"Our data is our clients' results - how long it has taken to get a lamb killed to market and then what the yield is on that from live weight to dead," he said.

"That's the thing that really pays for our clients.

"We look for a balanced approach on everything all the way through, which is yield, carcase shape and obviously eating quality is going to be a big thing in the future."

This year the sheep and wool committee introduced a change to the interbreed judging.

This included the addition of a "supreme prime lamb exhibit", made up of the Australian Stud Sheepbreeders Association member breeds, the Border Leicester, Hampshire Downs, Suffolk, Wiltipoll, Wiltshire Horn and the heritage breeds covered under Any Other Breed.

A second supreme judging was carried out for the remaining breeds of Valais Blacknose, White Suffolk, Poll Dorset, Dorper, Australian Whites and Corriedales.

Traditionally the Sydney Royal would just present one overall ewe winner, ram winner and an ultimate supreme.

Sheep and wool committee chair Joe Byrnes said the change was designed to mark 100 years of ASSBA and mark its important history.

He said, considering the success, they would likely continue with this format in future years, likely with some revision, based on feedback.

The supreme prime lamb exhibit, from the ASSBA judging, was the Bowen suffolk ewe Bowen 240425 - which had competed against a Bowen Suffolk ram - Bowen 240410 - to gain the supreme title.

Alistair Day, Allendale, Bordertown, SA, said as the Suffolk judge and a Suffolk breeder, he was proud of the two exhibits.

"They're outstanding, structurally correct and with good breed type," he said.

"They're very balanced and pretty hard to split."

In the end, it came down to one point difference between the two, with the ewe triumphing.

Judge David Pipkorn said the Suffolk ewe was a "standout".

"She has beautiful balance and terrific style," he said.

"The carcase traits and there and she's well-filled in the hindquarter.

"She's a commercially relevant animal and that breeding will flow through for generations to come."

Greg Good, Bowen Suffolks, Millthorpe, said he was "stoked" with the result.

"It's pretty awesome to come down and compete in the interbreed judging," he said.

Mr Good said the ewe had been a "standout right through".

"She scanned so well this week, she has tremendous muscle through the loin, really smart," he said.

"I've won supreme ewe at Adelaide and I think she is a better ewe than those ewes - she carries herself well."

Mr Good said he was pleased with how his team performed.

"I bought 11 rams and ewes down and I'm quite happy with all of them," he said.

"They were so consistent, it could have been any other up there, but I think the right two were out there."

In the Peter Taylor Memorial Perpetual trophy, Tattykeel took the honours with their team of one ram - Tattykeel 240088 - and two ewes - Tattykeel 240015 and Tattykeel 240040 - all still displaying milk teeth.

Second place was awarded to Bowen Suffolk stud, Millthorpe, with their team of three, while Rocdell White Suffolk stud, Bigga, were awarded third place with a team of three.

Tattykeel also triumphed in the JA&MY Gilmore Perpetual Trophy, with their supreme exhibit ewe and supreme all other breeds prime lamb ram winner -Tattykeel 240040 and ram Tattykeel 240088 - called a "standout" by judge Cherie Pagan.

Second place went to the White Suffolk entry of Rocdell, Bigga, with third place to the Suffolk entry, exhibited by Bowen Suffolk stud,

There were 13 breeds competing all up in the interbreed, scrutinised by the entire judging fraternity of Steve Pederick, San Souci, Bundeberg, Qld; Brenton Heazelwood, Melton Park, Whitemore, Tas; Peter Baker, Loddon Park, Baringhup, Vic; Barend Cronje, Tullinga White Dorpers, Condobolin; Roger Traves, Pine Creek Poll Dorsets, Canowindra; Cherie Pagan, Cooinda Border Leicesters, Gilgandra; Alastair Day, Allendale, Bordertown, SA; Roger Wilkinson, Camborn, Pooncarie; David Pipkorn, Detpa Grove, Jeparit, Vic; Kevin White, Neilrex; Marty Koolstra, Kallista Wiltshire Horn stud, Dandenong Ranges, Vic; Bianca Williams, Merton White Suffolks, Gilgandra; and associate judge Megan Baker, Orangeville.