Interstate sheep have taken out the top titles in this year’s Royal Melbourne Show interbreed championships.
A South Australian Suffolk stud has taken out the Royal Melbourne Show Paton’s Interbreed Champion ram trophy at this year’s event, while the best ewe prize was taken out by a Temora, New South Wales, farmer.
Allendale Stud, Bordertown, also took out the Champion Suffolk Ewe and Supreme Interbreed Shortwool ewe, at the recent Adelaide show.
Allendale’s Alistair Day said he believe the winner was a great example of a Suffolk, as a meat sheep.
“He’s got a nice carcase and he’s structurally correct,” Mr Day said.
“I was hoping he was going to stand out, but I didn’t neccesarily know he would – I am keeping this ram, we thought he was pretty good, so we are keeping him for our stud.”
The ram, under one and a half years old, weighed 119.5 kilograms, had a fat depth of seven millimetres and a muscle area of 49mm.
Allendale also took out the Paton's Interbreed Sire's Progeny Championship (All Breeds Sheep Interbreed) title.
The championship ewe was won by a Border Leicester, from Wattle Farm, Temora.
Wattle Farm’s Jeff Sutton, said the win backed up the success in the Supreme Longwool section, at the Bendigo Australian Sheep and Wool Show, earlier this year.
“She is top class, you never know how they might place, but she is an exceptional sheep,” Mr Sutton said.
“She won’t see any more shows now, she will go back to the paddock, and have a rest, and come back as good next year, as she was this year.
“Competition was tough, I won the interbreed title here, last year, with a ewe, as well, the competition, this year, I thought was tougher. She is a terrific ewe, she has great style and balance, and great fleece of wool, extremely stylish.”
Some of the ASSBA interbreed winners were: