Baringa bags supreme White Suffolk win at Bendigo with 'tremendous' ram

A central NSW stud came out on top at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo on Friday.

Baringa White Suffolk stud, Oberon, NSW, took home a suite of ribbons including the champion ewe, champion ram, supreme exhibit and most successful exhibitor titles.

The White Suffolk was the feature breed at the ASWS for 2025, and the quality of sheep on display did not disappoint.

Baringa stud co-principal Brayden Gilmore said to get the supreme and most successful exhibitor nods was a "really good" result, which came as a "bit of a shock".

"We had said that this team is the most consistent team that we've probably produced," he said.

"I think those results show and it's been a nice day for us."

Mr Gilmore said the competition was always "very tough" in Bendigo.

"There are a lot of animals in the shed that have had plenty of preparation and a lot of weight," he said.

"Coming out of a cold climate and being able to come and compete is a massive honour for us."

Baringa's supreme champion - which was the ram - originally came out on top as the junior champion ram and later defeated the senior champion ram and eventually, the champion ewe, on his way to the top sash.

The ram, aptly named Baringa Victory, was sired by Seriston 259 and a grandson to a former sale-topping ram of Baringa's, which was knocked down for $22,000, Baringa 108.

"His breed type and softness is unbelievable," Mr Gilmore said.

"He's a ram that has sire appeal for a young sheep, early maturity, and that's what the breed needs."

New Zealand stud adviser Graham Sidey travelled to Bendigo to judge the feature breed, taking a full day to whittle down to the top stock.

Mr Sidey said the supreme champion was a "very nice, sound ram".

"He stands on great feet, he's got a tremendous outlook and he's got meat," he said.

Mr Sidey said he had been greatly impressed by the quality of the White Suffolk breed at the ASWS, something which was a testament to the breeders.

He selected Baringa's August 2024-drop ewe as the champion ewe of the breed.

"She was very alert, she stood on great feet and she has fantastic muscle," he said.

"She carried right through to the back end, nice and wide on the back legs.

"She's an outstanding sheep."

Mr Gilmore said both the champion ewe and the ram that beat her to the supreme title were sired by the same ram, Seriston 259.

He said the family was "over the moon" to see their genetics do so well.

He said the ewe had "great presence and outlook".

"She's a young ewe with great growth and the figures to back it up," he said.

Mr Gilmore said the ewe had stood out from the get-go and showed early signs of potential show success as a ewe lamb.

"She's out of an extremely good ewe line of ours," he said.

"We knew she was pretty special and was going to be about, come late in the year."

READ MORE: NSW stud claims supreme title in White Dorper ring at Bendigo with young ewe

The senior champion ram sash was won by Rene White Suffolk stud, Culcairn, NSW.

The stud won the champion senior and reserve champion senior ram ribbons.

The senior champion sheep was an April 2024-drop ram which Mr Sidey said had "good length, barrel and colour".

He said the ram was a "bloody good sheep".

"He's just an all-around class act in my book," he said.

Rene stud co-principal Scott Mitchell said the senior champion ram was simply a "good doer".

"He's got thickness and barrel followed right through," he said.

"He has a heap of meat in the back end and good bone, very square."

Mr Mitchell was also proud to get a broad ribbon at Bendigo, given the quality of the White Suffolk sheep on the day.

"There's probably never been such good quality here, so to get champion and reserve is no mean feat," he said.

He said it had been 10 years since the Rene stud won a big ribbon.

"We'll be selling the champion ram, and the reserve champion ram is my keeper," he said.