This year marks 141 years since the first Border Leicester stud of note was established near Geelong and although the breed's beginnings are very much British, its impact on Australia's prime lamb industry continues to be huge.
Border Leicesters originated in the border region between England and Scotland and John Cochrane founded Australia's first Border Leicester stud in 1881.
Then a Mr Landale, of Wandook, Deniliquin, NSW, imported 330 stud ewes and 10 stud rams from New Zealand in 1895.
This trend continued and over the next 20 years many studs were established with NZ genetics.
One of the driving forces behind the development of the breed in Australia was George Starritt, who started his Kelso Park stud, near Tatura, in 1914 with 10 ewes and one ram from Mr Cochrane's flock.
According to third-generation owner of Kelso Park Bruce Starritt, who took over the reins of the stud from his father Ray in 1960, one of his earliest recollections includes taking their sheep to the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association show in the 1950s when it was still held in the Dalgety Wool Store in Melbourne.
"All the sheep were shown in the wool, and everybody took a team of 30 or 40 sheep," Mr Starritt said.
"It was very strongly supported and in the early days the show would even attract sheep from NZ."
Although Mr Starritt has dispersed most of the Kelso stud, he said the Border Leicester breed had stood the test of time.
"As a breed the Border Leicester suited Australian conditions, their bare faces and legs eliminated the grass seed problem that sheep had in the early days," he said.
"They also clicked with the Merino to produce first-cross ewes which are arguably still the most popular prime lamb mother in Australia."
With prices for first-cross ewes setting a new national saleyard record of $538 a head at last year's blue ribbon sales in Naracoorte, SA, Australian Border Leicester Association president Malcolm Starritt said the Border Leicester continued to dominate the prime lamb industry.
"First-cross ewes have been the preferred maternal breed for a long time and it comes down to those people who are paying that big money that they're getting value in what they are buying," Mr Starritt said.
"They are getting high lambing percentages and maternal genetics that produce great mothers that have plenty of milk and turn lambs off quickly."
There are currently about 122 registered Border Leicester stud flocks in Australia.
After two years of cancellations, the Border Leicester will be the feature breed at this year's Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo.
Australian Border Leicester Association president Malcolm Starritt said it was great to finally get the opportunity to showcase the breed to a wider audience.
"After several false starts, we are very grateful to the ASWS for still giving us the feature," he said.
"We'd also like to congratulate the committee on getting through the COVID lockdowns and having the ability and finance to run the event this year.
"It has been a great season for preparing sheep for shows, we're expecting solid entries from studs across Victoria and NSW which is very pleasing."
Ian Gilmore, Baringa studs, Oberon, NSW, will be judging the line up.
The association is hosting a dinner on Saturday, July 16, and welcomes all founding and current Border Leicester breeders to the event.
"The show is such a great networking tool and it's something many of us look forward to every year," Mr Starritt said.