South African judge Stefaans Malan has praised the Dorper ewe, which took out the supreme exhibit at this year's Australian Sheep & Wool Show, as an animal that could hold its own in international circles.
Mr Malan said there was no contest between the champion ewe, exhibited by Dell Dorper, Moama, NSW, and the champion ram, from Prieska, Peak Hill, NSW.
"The ewe is exceptional," Mr Malan said.
"She has the length, size and femininity that goes with all of that.
"Worldwide she is exceptional, people will take note of her, no matter where she goes."
He said the ewe was feminine, but not petite.
"She has the size, but she is feminine," he said.
He said the ewe stood out, so it wasn't hard to split the two.
"I have seen a few rams which were better, I haven't seen as many ewes this good," he said.
Prieska won the senior champion Dorper ram ribbon with the same animal last year..
Andrea Vagg, Dell, said the judge admired the ewe's top line and good meat qualities.
"I thought Prieska definitely got it, but the judge must have liked the ewe on the day" Ms Vagg said.
The ewe had Mickey Phillips ram bloodlines, with South Africa's oldest stud, John Dell Dorpers, on the dam's side.
"She is scanned in lamb, with twins, and we have flushed her twice for embryos," she said.
"She is definitely up there with our best ones."
Marius Loots, Prieska, said Mr Malan had praised the ram's body, depth and muscling.
"He is a very safe an sound ram and one of the better ones I have bred," Mr Loots said.
The ram had Kaya-Phillips bloodlines.
"His grandfather was the national champion and his father was the national champion," he said.
"I used him big time in the breeding program, and I think I will do that for a long time because he is so safe."
Mr Malan, from Adelaide, Eastern Cape, South Africa, said it was the first time he'd judged Dopers in Australia.
"Overall, I think there is work to be done, but the top material can compete with the best, anywhere in the world," he said.
"I think there is huge variety between the better animals and the weaker animals.
"If they just closed the gap, that would be a huge improvement already.
"They have the material, they just need to use it."
He said Peak Hill's ram was a sound, solid animal, which carried a lot of meat and muscle.
"He's a mature ram, the pasterns are still strong, the legs are still sound, the topline is still sound and the muscle is still there," he said.
"That's one of the first things they lose, the older they get, they lose the muscle."
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
