Sheep breeders from across southern Australia descended on the Hamilton Showgrounds this week, marking the return of the much-anticipated Sheepvention.
Thousands of people passed through the gates despite the winter-like conditions, the first time the event has been held since 2019 due to COVID-19 delays.
In the sheep pavilion, breeders from all corners of the state presented their sheep - some first-time novice breeders, while others added to their long list of multi-coloured sashes.
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ABC Landline host Pip Courtney made a guest appearance at the show on Sunday to officially open the event, while new Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney spoke about the threat of foot and mouth disease, revealing the government would establish a new task force to combat the risk.
For sheep breeders like south-west Victorian Colin Taylor it was like "returning to a reunion" to meet and greet many people he had not spoken with in more than two years.
Mr Taylor, who is stud principal of Koenarl English Leicester stud at Brucknell, said he had rarely missed a sheep show at Hamilton in more than six decades.
"I first started showing sheep in Hamilton in 1959, but back then it was Southdowns," he said.
"I've missed the last two years, 2020 and 2021, but besides that, that's how long I've been showing sheep at Hamilton."
Mr Taylor was by no means a novice, having claimed a ribbon for each of his six English Leicesters, including the supreme interbreed longwool ewe and ram, respectively, and the most prestigious title of the show, supreme exhibit of the heritage breeds.
"English Leicesters are dying down a bit but they're a friendly sheep, they make good mothers and do well in the wet areas down in our country here," Mr Taylor said.
The return of sheep shows in Victoria, including the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo last month, has provided an opportunity for the next generation of budding breeders to gear-up and show off their genetics.
The winners revealed:
Long and shortwool Interbreed
- Supreme long wool ewe: Leonella Border Leicester stud
- Supreme long wool ram: Gambier View Corriedale stud
- Supreme short wool ewe: Mertex Texel & White Suffolk stud
- Supreme short wool ram: Wakeleigh White Suffolks
Heritage interbreed
- Supreme short wool ewe: Aurora Park Hampshire Down stud
- Supreme long wool ewe: Koenarl English Leicester stud
- Supreme short wool ram: Lansdale Pure Southdowns
- Supreme champion long wool: Koenarl English Leicester stud
- Supreme exhibit: Koenarl English Leicester stud
Mertex Texel & White Suffolk stud principal Tim Jorgensen, Antwerp, had an exceptional run in the show ring only a few weeks after winning his inaugural supreme exhibit at the ASWS in July.
The 33-year-old won supreme shortwool exhibit with a White Suffolk ewe, and followed suit in second with a Texel ewe.
"It's pretty incredible to have done that two shows in a row in the interbreed," Mr Jorgensen said.
"The White Suffolk ewe won the championship on the Sunday and then backed it up a day later.
"Her overall balance is outstanding and she's chock full of meat."
Meanwhile, for supreme shortwool interbreed exhibitor Kylie Wake, Wakeleigh White Suffolks, Cavendish, the opportunity to check out sheep in their flesh was "simply amazing".
"This is only my second year of showing under the Wakeleigh banner so the supreme interbreed championship was rather overwhelming and left me a bit stunned," Ms Wake said.
"It was wonderful to be able to get back out and meet up with my friends again."
In the heritage breeds, Aurora Park Hampshire Down stud was crowned supreme shortwool ewe.
Lansdale Pure Southdowns was named supreme shortwool ram, while Koenarl English Leicester stud won both longwool divisions to claim the overall supreme exhibit.
Judges from across the country, including as far west as WA and SA, were in attendance during the interbreed categories where hundreds of sheep went under the judging microscope.