A White Suffolk breeder who had not won a ribbon in more than a decade has returned to the winner's podium after claiming a multi-coloured supreme exhibit sash at Sheepvention.
Kylie Wake, Wakeleigh White Suffolks, Canvendish, won the prestigious title at the Hamilton Showgrounds on Sunday with a May 2021-drop ram.
Eleven White Suffolk studs showcased 103 sheep during the return of the highly popular agricultural event for the first time since 2019 as a result of a two-year COVID hiatus.
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Wakeleigh 210709 also claimed the grand champion White Suffolk ram exhibit earlier in the day as Ms Wake revealed her plans for the show-stopping champion.
"Back in 2009 we won the champion ewe and reserve supreme ewe under a different banner so this is the first time since then," Ms Wake said.
Ms Wake started breeding White Suffolks in the late 1980s with her parents' Wakefield Park operation, which has since amalgamated with her enterprise at Cavendish.
She was also in partnership with Somerset White Suffolks until she started her own operation, Wakeleigh White Suffolks, in 2018.
Ms Wake said the grand champion ram was "beautifully structured" and offered great muscling ability.
"He has a great outlook and a very nice temperament," she said.
"I can remember tagging him at birth and thinking 'there's my champion ram for next year, which was a joke at first but he really stood out from the time I saw him.
"He was a nice, strong lamb right from birth and had a really good outlook."
At this stage the supreme champion ram will be offered for sale at the Royal Adelaide Show as part of the breed's elite auction.
"I also won junior champion ram which was another highlight and reserve champion ewe," Ms Wake said.
"I focus on breed type, I like the White Suffolk structure and with excellent muscle and good characteristics on the physical side.
"That really paid off today."
Antwerp-based Mertex Texel & White Suffolk stud claimed grand White Suffolk champion ewe, weeks after winning a string of titles at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo.
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The stud also won most successful White Suffolk exhibitor.
"We had grand champion ewe and reserve champion ewe along with the three group classes so it was a very good day," Mertex Texel & White Suffolk stud principal Tim Jorgensen said.
"We aim to offer consistency in the breeding and in the ewes."
The champion ewes will be retained by the stud and entered into its embryo transfer program in January.
It comes as the Wimmera stud has recorded a clean sweep of awards at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in mid-July, winning every ewe and ram category to claim the supreme exhibit.
In total, the Mertex stud exhibited 12 sheep, while Wakeleigh stud showcased nine sheep during the event.
White Suffolks judge David Pipkorn, Detpa Grove White Suffolk, Nhill, said he was impressed with the progress of the breed.
"The improvement in growth, type, and muscle are traits that breeders have made great progress on since I was here last," he said.
Mr Pipkorn said the White Suffolk breed had experienced "tremendous success" from a commercial point of view.
"The supreme champion ram had really high performance figures plus good structural correctness along with great bone balance and outlook," he said.
"He would be very safe to use over any type of ewe and backed by performance data."