Supreme Suffolk and White Suffolk exhibit: Jon Sutherland and Jody Zoch, Sayla Park, Kilmore (Suffolk ewe)
Suffolk winners
Supreme Suffolk exhibit: Jon Sutherland and Jody Zoch, Sayla Park, Kilmore
Champion ewe: Sayla Park
Reserve: Ian and Julie Plumridge, Ridgell Downs, Apsley
Champion ram: IJ&PR Kyle, Ashley Park, Bairnsdale
Reserve: Sayla Park
Stock scan performance class: Sayla Park
Breeders group: Sayla Park
Sires progeny group: Ashley Park
Most successful exhibitor: Ridgell Downs
A SAYLA Park Suffolk ewe that impressed breeders Jon Sutherland and Jody Zoch, Kilmore, Victoria, from an early age has added another tri-coloured ribbon to its impressive haul.
The ewe won supreme exhibit of the 226 Suffolks and White Suffolks entered at the Bendigo Elite Suffolk Show, held over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was the first time a winner out of both breeds was awarded.
The July 2016-drop ewe – which weighed 123kg and had her first lamb at-foot – won supreme Suffolk exhibit. In fact, her ram lamb was born less than a week before the ewe was shown at Sheepvention in Hamilton, Vic, where the ewe won the interbreed champion.
“We deliberately joined her to lamb in that gap (between the Australian Sheep & Wool Show and Hamilton) because I knew she was going to be good,” Mr Sutherland said.
“And she took the first cycle.”
The ewe topped a strong showing that was judged by Andrew Donnan, Anden stud, Woomelang, Vic, with associate judge Daniel Lutz, Updown Park, Penola, SA.
Mr Donnan said he could not find a fault in the ewe. For the supreme exhibit of the show, she beat a powerful White Suffolk ram exhibited by Damien Hawker, Omad stud, Kaniva, Vic.
The winning ewe’s dam was the reserve champion ewe at the same event last year.
Mr Sutherland said the ewe demonstrated the type of sheep for which they’re breeding.
“She’s smooth shouldered, with a great hindquarter and a lot of shape, she does everything very well.
“It’s just amazing to have a sheep that big with great structure. The judge said if there’s a fault in her, you might know, but we can’t find one. But I don’t think she has one, I haven’t found one.”
Mr Sutherland said he planned to retain the ewe in the stud and they were considering possibly doing an embryo transfer program later in year with her and a few other good ewes.
At Sayla Park, they aim to join all their ewe lambs to speed up the genetic gain in the young stud.
The winning ewe was sired by a structurally correct Noble Lee ram that Mr Sutherland and Ms Zoch bought at the Elite Sale two years ago. It was a half-brother of the ram that sold for $12,000 recently at Adelaide.
Ashley Park stud, Bairnsdale, won champion Suffolk ram with a son of Gemini 365-14. This Gemini ram sired four of the rams in the show team, as well as the winning sire’s progeny group. Ashley Park principal Ian Kyle said these accolades pointed to the consistency it had showed in breeding.
Judge Mr Donnan said the Ashley Park show team was very even. Between the four rams exhibited by the Kyle family, they had a winning pair of rams; one topped the July class; and another came third in that class.
The 12 month-old champion ram weighed 120kg and scanned 46mm muscle and 9mm fat.
Mr Kyle said the ram displayed quality and structural soundness. He said the ram had sire potential to breed stud and commercial sheep.
Ashley Park also won reserve champion White Suffolk ram.
“So we’ve had a good weekend in this shed,” principal Ian Kyle said.
