Colbrook stud sizzles to supreme sashing with Valais Blacknose super ewe

A Colbrook stud sizzled to a supreme Valais Blacknose sashing at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo on Friday evening.

The Gordilly Park Valais Blacknose stud won the top ribbon with its two-year-old ewe.

It was the unusual breed's second year of participating at the ASWS and exhibitors stepped out with their top stock before a bustling crowd of eager spectators.

Judge Ben Simmons, Dunedoo, NSW, runs the Talbragar Border Leicester stud and it was his first time judging Valais Blacknose sheep.

As the breed, which originated in Switzerland, was meant to be a meat animal, Mr Simmons said he focused on carcase and structural traits when examining the exhibits.

He said the ewe which was crowned supreme had these qualities in abundance.

"I liked her overall structure, her strength and her top-line," he said.

"She's also got a very good, even fleece and good femininity."

Mr Simmons said the overall standard of the breed was good to "fair".

"I was looking for structural correctness," he said.

"I feel the breed as a whole needs to fix a bit of structure.

"I reckon I found that here today, especially with the ewe."

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Gordilly Park fended off competition for the supreme ribbon from the champion ram which was bred by the Alora Prestige Valais Blacknose stud, Dubbo, NSW.

The two-year-old ram had nearly died at six months of age due to a bout of chronic pneumonia.

Alora Prestige stud co-principal Alicia McConnell was over the moon to see him secure the top ram nod.

"The ram is a very special ram to us," she said.

"We didn't actually think we'd save him as a young lamb.

"He got very sick, so to turn out how he has and to get the accolades that he has is just amazing."

Ms McConnell described the July 2023-drop ram as a "very solid" sheep.

"He's very structurally sound and he has a lot of volume and presence," he said.

"His horn spacing is very good, he's got nice, wide horns away from his face, and his markings are perfect."

She said the ram's "sheer size" made him a "formidable" contender in the showring.

The ram resulted from an embryo imported from the UK back in 2022.

"He's one of our foundation boys," Ms McConnell said.

She started the Valais Blacknose stud with partner David Whittaker in 2021 with crossbred sheep, and their first pedigree lambs dropped in 2023.

"I love their docility," she said.

"They're unique, they're different, placid and easy to handle."

She said Australia had not imported a sheep breed for more than 20 years, so it was "really exciting" to be part of a new breed.

The stud has 40-50 stud ewes and hopes to up numbers over the coming years.