Jurambula Hamphsire Down stud wins supreme of breed at Melbourne Royal Show

Ms Raven, Jurambula Hamphsire Down stud, Henty, NSW, said this was the biggest show accolade for the two-year-old ewe, who had her first lamb at foot.

"I'd taken her to shows in Sydney, Bendigo and Holbrook, NSW, before and she got reserve champion ewe at Sydney, but that's it," she said.

"So this is definitely her biggest win."

She described her as a "beautiful ewe".

"She stands up naturally, is nice and calm, and has a cracker of a lamb on her," she said.

Ms Raven said it was great to be back at the Melbourne Royal Show after a two-year COVID-induced hiatus.

"I'm very proud of my sheep and I like to put them out there at shows like this," she said.

"I try not to take too much notice of what other breeders are doing, because if I did that, I'd lose my way.

"It's really special to get a supreme ribbon but if the judge didn't like my sheep and we didn't get any ribbons, I wouldn't go home and change my ways."

She said she would "absolutely" retain the ewe in the stud.

"Given how good that lamb is looking, I will probably join her back to that same ram next year and hopefully get twins," she said.

Meanwhile, Boonong Park Hampshire Downs stud, Mortlake, took out champion ram of the breed.

The stud's Kane Hildred said this was the first big ribbon win for the ram, who had won first in his class at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo in July.

"Just his growth for age really makes him stand out, he's an August-drop ram but he's just as heavy as our older rams," Mr Hildred said.

"He carries himself right through and has a very masculine head."

He said it was a "very nice" experience to win the champion ribbon.

He said they were still tossing up what to do with the ram but he may be offered at an upcoming sale.