A ewe, sired with genetic material sourced more than 15 years ago, has taken out the top Poll Dorset broad ribbon at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show.
Valley Vista Poll Dorsets, Coolac, NSW, took out the supreme champion Poll Dorset title.
Valley Vista co-principal Joe Scott said the stud acquired 550 ewes and the the 2004-drop Kurralea Phoenix 809 in 2007, as part of a package deal.
"We got about seven or eight stud rams with the ewes, with Phoenix coming from Gererdan Poll Dorset stud, Gooloogong, NSW as well," he said.
"We collected semen from him, and every couple of years we have used that semen - in April 2002 it produced this ewe," he said.
"He has always produced a very good line of females - every time we have crossed him, we have always got success."
The ewe was a result of a cross between Phoenix and Valley View Fife, a 2014 drop ram.
"We will look to use that Phoenix semen again this year," he said.
"A lot of people think the young stuff is always the best stuff, but every now and then you can go back and use something like this and it works.
Judge Chris Badcock, Fairbank, Hagley, Tasmania, said it was a very hard decision to split the ram and ewe for the supreme ribbon.
"I am sure the crowd maybe would have gone a different way, but I don't know how you split two exceptional animals," Mr Badock said.
"In the end I loved the shape of that ewe, for a female she has just got that perfect wedge shape.
"She just ticked the boxes."
Mr Badcock said he was very happy with the ewes he had chosen.
"It highlights the type I have been trying to find - I prefer to see them being a bit more moderate.
Mr Badcock said could not find a lot wrong with the champion ewe.
"She presents very well, she walks very well, she has a beautiful shoulder and wedge shape, which is exactly what you want," he said.
Mr Scott said he was surprised Mr Badcock picked the ewe.
"Her structural correctness stood out, she has just got all the feminine traits a Dorset ewe needs," he said.
"She has the smooth shoulders, the feminine head and style and stands up on her feet very well.
"She just stands out, and I think that's what the judge noticed."
He said the ewe was likely to be used in an embryo transfer program, later this year.
The senior and grand champion ram ribbons were won by Springwaters Poll Dorset stud, Boorowa, NSW; the reserve ribbon was won by Yentrac.
The Springwaters ram weighed 141 kilograms, had a 51 millimetre muscle depth, 113mm muscle width and 10mm of fat.
His eye muscle area was measured at 44.38 square centimetres.
Mr Badcock said it was also hard to chose between the junior and senior champion rams.
"They are both brilliant examples of the breed, you could probably argue they are slightly different types - you have a ram, which is very heavily muscled, and another ram, which is slightly longer,
"I just like the overall power and presence of that senior ram, I loved his muscling and that's probably why I have just gone that way."
The Yentrac, Tatura, reserve senior champion ram weighed 134kg, had a 55mm muscle depth, 113mm muscle width, 10mm of fat and an EMA of 47.86 sq cm.
Hillden, Bannister, NSW took out the junior champion ram title.
Its 120kg ram had a 47mm muscle depth, a 103mm muscle width, 7.5mm fat measurement and 37.28 square centimetre eye muscle area.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
