Induro claims first White Suffolk supreme with ram with 'tonne of meat'

A high-yielding White Suffolk ram described by WA judge Nick Cheetham as 'being hard as a rock' and full of red meat has taken out top honours in the feature breed showing.

The late April 2024 drop, Induro 240159, which weighed 133.5 kilograms and had an exceptional eye muscle depth figure of 56 millimetres, gave stud principal Guy Treweek his greatest ever show ring success.

He began showing in Adelaide prior to COVID and during border restrictions, still exhibited at Adelaide but sent his sheep to be prepared by SA breeders.

"I am over the moon to win grand champion ram and supreme, especially to do it in a feature show makes it even more special," he said.

It made the 6.5-hour trip all worth it to claim the accolade from 180 entries from SA, Vic and NSW.

"If you want people to see your sheep, you have to get around. People nowadays don't travel like they used to," Mr Treweek said.

In their deliberation for supreme exhibit, Mr Cheetham, who judged the rams and ewe judge Damien Hawker, Omad stud, Kaniva, Vic, said they had found two fantastic representatives of the breed.

They gave the red and white broad ribbon to Induro's ram over the ewe from the Jorgensen family's Mertex stud, Antwerp, Vic.

"As an industry, we need to be pushing harder on the fill and getting meat in all the right cuts, and that sheep does that and has the right figures to back him up," Mr Cheetham said.

Induro had a weaning weight of 12.2, post weaning weight of 19.4 and TCP index of 158.9 - all ranking in the top 10 per cent of the breed, as well as a eye muscle figure of 3.5.

The ram, which was earlier named the senior champion ram, will be offered at the Bendigo Elite White Suffolk Sale next month. He was an AI-bred son of Ashmore 221308.

"You need to put your hands on this ram, he is exceptional," Mr Cheetham told the crowd of onlookers.

"I can't fault him, he has a tonne of meat and hard as a rock and in my desert country (Narambeen) that sort of ram will do exceptionally well."

There were plenty of SA breed stalwarts sashing the sheep as class sponsors, but it was an interstate raid for the broad ribbons.

Four of the five blue ribbon winners vying for the senior ram championship were from the Mertex stud, so it was no surprise their June class winner was named reserve senior champion.

Just a few weeks ago, at Hamilton Sheepvention, the placings were reversed with the Mertex ram - which was by a $14,500 sire- winning senior champion and interbreed short wool exhibit. The ram is being retained by the Jorgensens.

Mr Cheetham was also full of praise for his junior champion ram exhibited by Kylie Wake, Wakeleigh stud, Cavendish, Vic.

The August 2024-drop was only 5kg lighter than the senior and grand champion ram, despite being four months younger.

The ram will also be offered for sale in the Bendigo Elite Show & Sale next month.

"He has hardness and fill and depth of body, he is massive over the top for a young ram," Mr Cheetham said.

In selecting his grand champion, he said both his junior and senior champions were peas in a pod but went with the senior champion because he had proven himself, even though the junior champion ram also had a lot of potential.

"I would love to have either ram in my stud, I might have to get some syndicates together," he said.

"We are in the meat industry and all these rams have meat."

Mertex notched up their third consecutive ewe championship with a classy ewe that was out of the same dam as the previous two years' Adelaide champions.

Mr Hawker said it was splitting hairs but went for his champion for its "good breed type, good structure and carcase" over another Merex ewe- bred from the same ET flush- which stood second to the champion in the June class.

The champion was 109kg with an eye muscle depth of 48.5mm and 14mm fat depth, while her stablemate was 116kg with a 47.5mm EMD and 13mm fat.

"There was not a lot wrong with the reserve either, but the champion was a bit more balanced," Mr Hawker said.

Mertex won three of the seven ewe blue ribbons, too so it was no surprise they were again the most successful exhibitor across the breed judging with their 11 rams and six ewes.