IT WAS a fitting accolade for the Southdown breed who won top gong at the Royal Geelong Show while celebrating the breed’s national national show and sale.
Exhibited by Graeme Dehnert, Fernhill, Ballan, a 13 month-old, heavy muscled Southdown ram with a “tremendous topline” won the breed’s supreme title before wowing interbreed sheep judges who crowned him best sheep at the show.
While the show attracted strong competition, subdued demand in the inaugural Southdown sale resulted in three of ten rams selling to $2500, and three of 12 ewes sold to $1500.
Being crowned most successful exhibitor of the show topped off a stellar performance for Bron and Leigh Ellis, Sweetfield Corriedales, Mount Moriac.
Their massive framed, 148kilogram 15month-old exhibit, Mack, notched many of the wins, taking out champion ram and supreme Corriedale exhibit before being sashed champion long wool sheep in the interbreed.
Mack, who was praised for his carcase and heavy cutting fleece, was a son of the supreme champion Corriedale exhibit at the 2013 Royal Melbourne Show, Sweetfield William.
Mack also took out the supreme champion Deppeler memorial in the Corriedale, Suffolk and White Suffolk breed.
Sweetfield Corriedales also won champion lamb of the show.
The Deppeler family, Deppeler Suffolks, Derrinallum, had a dominating performance throughout the show, winning two major titles in the interbreed judging with the champion ewe and champion group of three.
They went on to win the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association champion group with two rams and two ewes which included Aristocrat – the champion Suffolk ram and supreme breed exhibit.
He was a 162kg two year-old who recorded 10 millimetres of fat, muscle depth of 53mm and eye muscle area of 42 squared centimetres.
The Deppeler’s also took out the champion ewe and ram titles in the White Suffolk feature breed judging.
Ian Gilmore, Baringa Sheep Studs, Oberon, NSW awarded the Deppeler ewe the supreme title and called her a “faultless” female.
Tim Jorgensen, Mertex, Antwerp, won the most successful exhibitor of the show in the feature breed with his points accrued after winning the champion and reserve White Suffolk lamb.
