Ardene Australian Whites credits good genetics for its triple sheep show win

Three studs competed in the emerging sheep meat breed, including the Mount Torrens, SA, based Ardene stud which was subsequently crowned the most successful exhibitor for the breed.

Ardene Australian Whites stud principal Bruce Hodgson said the breed offered many benefits to Aussie farmers in the wake of a country-wide shearer shortage.

"The difficulty of people getting shearers has really driven the popularity of Aussie Whites and the easy maintenance of the breed has also added to that demand," he said.

"They're good-doing sheep, low maintenance and low labour requirements and for people in a composite situation where they have a loss-making exercise in shearing, these are a great alternative to put over them."

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Mr Hodgson said he was yet to decide whether the grand champion ram would be offered in the stud's October 6 on-property sale.

"He's an August/September-drop ram by a Tattykeel ram, 161504, which we bought a few years ago and the reserve champion was one Magnum," he said.

Australian Whites judge Brendan Mansbridge, Brooklyn Park Poll Dorset stud, Eugowra, NSW, said the draft of Aussie Whites highlighted the growing demand for the breed.

"I last judged Aussie Whites here in 2014 so the breed has come a long way since then," he said.

"We're seeing much better shedding in the sheep which is the aim of the breed so you want to see the sheep shed well when you're not shearing them."

"There's a few other studs outside the foundation studs now which are starting to have some real success which is good to see."

Mr Mansbridge said the grand champion ram was the most sound and structurally-correct ram in the competition.

"He was the most complete sheep on the day, albeit he was a younger sheep born August/September 2021 so he wasn't the biggest sheep," he said.

"However, he was very complete, he was well balanced, and had a great spring of rib right through the body along with his beautiful width through the hindquarter."

Tarcutta-based Bungarley Aussie Whites claimed the grand champion Aussie White ewe.

"She was a really nice sheep and similar to the top ram in a way because it was a very complete animal with a great carcase and width," Ms Mansbridge said.

"She also had great growth for age considering she was only an August/September-drop sheep too."