Shalders family does the business at Bendigo with South Suffolk dream team

The Shalders family did the business at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo on Friday with their dream team of South Suffolk sheep.

Led by stud principal and much-loved face at the sheep show Barry Shalders, the Willow Drive South Suffolk stud, Grassmere, took home the champion ram, champion ewe, supreme champion and most successful exhibitor.

Mr Shalders was supported by daughter Suzanne Holmes and grandsons Josh and Jack Holmes and Damon Shalders.

The stud was the sole exhibitor for the breed, but despite this, the quality of their sheep was outstanding.

Judge Brendan Simpson, Quairading, WA, travelled across the country to inspect the South Suffolk line-up and said the sheep were as impressive as any he'd seen.

"They had lots of characteristics which were true to type," he said.

"They walked around and presented like South Suffolks, very, very typical of the South Suffolk breed."

Willow Drive's champion ram went on to be sashed the supreme sheep for the breed.

Mr Simpson said the August 2024-drop ram was "very, very true to type".

"He had a good barrel, plenty of meat and was very, very nice through the shoulders and front end," he said.

"He had plenty of power in the back end too."

Mr Simpson said the ram would mature into an even better example of the breed.

"He's got plenty of growth still in him," he said.

"As he matures over the coming months, he's just going to keep getting better and better."

Mr Shalders agreed with Mr Simpson's suggestion.

"He'll grow into a much bigger ram, that's for sure," he said.

"I think he's pretty all around for what you'd like in the breed.

"He has good length and good muscling."

The champion ewe was a July 2023-drop ewe with a two-week-old ram lamb at foot.

Mr Simpson described the top ewe as "unbelievable".

"She's just a magnificent mum," she said.

"An awesome ewe with lots of length, depth and [she was] an imposing ewe."

Mr Shalders said the ewe had usually placed second on the show circuit, but the sheep that typically topped her was at home in Grassmere after lambing on Thursday.

"She's a pretty handy ewe with her first lamb," he said.

"She's always been in our show team.

"She's doing a really good job on her lamb."

Mr Simpson said despite the low exhibitor numbers, the South Suffolk "definitely" had a place in the Australian sheep industry.

He produces about 100 rams a year for sale across the country.

"They're very good meat producers, there's plenty of muscle, and I think they have some fantastic facets when it comes to meat quality," he said.

Mr Shalders said it was good to get Mr Simpson's feedback.

"He's been one of the oldest studs of the South Suffolks in Western Australia," he said.

He said his sheep had "done it tough" due to the dry conditions in the south-west.

"I thought they presented very well considering the season down our way has been very ordinary for the past 18 months," he said.