BORDER LEICESTER
Supreme exhibit: Bauer, Ariah Park, NSW
Champion ram: Geraldine, Clydebank
Reserve: Geraldine
Champion ewe: Bauer
Reserve: Talkool, Crookwell, NSW
Most successful: Bauer
NSW stud Bauer has exhibited the supreme Border Leicester exhibit for the third year running at the Royal Melbourne Show.
This year it was a ewe that judge Brayden Gilmore, Baringa stud, Oberon, NSW, described as having "power, length and overall outlook" that came out on top.
It was from the same Bauer-bred supreme bloodline that the two previous supreme Border Leicesters had been from.
"The champion ewe is very hard to fault, very feminine, has a lovely fleece on her and plenty of carcase under that fleece and I think she is going to represent the breed well tomorrow [in interbreed]," Mr Gilmore said.
Bauer principals Jamie and Tracey Buerckner also went on to win both the ASSBA breeds longwool ewe under 1.5-year-old interbreed classes, being in the wool and shorn, as well as the ASSBA breeds interbreed longwool group.
It was no surprise when they were also most successful Border Leicester exhibitors.
Reserve champion Border Leicester ewe was exhibited by Kylie Holland, Talkook stud, Crookwell, also across the border in NSW.
The ewe was in close contention with the champion all day, having placed second behind it in the class judging and then again in the championship adjudication.
The Bakers from Geraldine stud, Clydebank, excelled in the ram judging, exhibiting junior and grand champion ram and reserve junior and grand champion ram.
The grand champion was taken from the pair of ram class, weighed in at 116.5 kilograms, with 11 millimetres of fat, and eye muscle depth of 48mm and width of 99mm.
Mr Gilmore said the ram "oozed quality".
"He caught my eye as soon as he came out...that topline and presence that ram has got, that young sire isn't finished yet and look forward to seeing what he can do for the industry," he said.
Mr Gilmore commended the scale and stretch of the reserve champion ram, which was a 125kg sire, with 9mm of fat, 54mm muscle depth and 99mm muscle width.
Geraldine also exhibited the champion sires progeny group, with three sheep by Pina 150202.