Kaya Dorper wins supreme champion at Australian Sheep & Wool Show

Kaya Dorper stud won the supreme champion with its ram at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, Bendigo, and says it's all in support of the show and having family fun.

Kaya Dorper stud principal Adrian Veitch, Narrogin, WA, said his ram had bulk, bone, and "very good" shoulders.

"He's a very, very good shedder, he cleans off 100 per cent in the summer and he's got meat," he said.

"We're feeling good [about the win], it makes the trip worthwhile.

"My aim is just to try and support the people over here, keep the show going."

Mr Veitch said they bred their Dorper flock bigger than the stud's typical build to suit climate and client interests.

"With Dorpers I've been here since day dot, I'm a vet by trade, I've been coming to Bendigo for about 10 years and we come across as a family and have a bit of fun," he said.

"We do get a bit of interest, in Western Australia our sheep tend to be bigger, we breed them bigger and with the Dorpers they're quite small so it's impressive when you get these rams that are 130 kilos.

"Coming across they lose between five and 10 kilos, we like sending big rams because if they lose a few kilos it looks okay, rather than a smaller ram."

He said he started his hobby stud after he lived in South Africa for two years and returned with six ewes.

He focused on embryo work and insemination throughout his veterinary career, and now manages about 2000 sheep.

Kaya Dorper also won the supreme champion White Dorper on Friday.

Dell Dorper stud principal Andrea van Niekerk won the grand champion ewe, which showed ideal confirmation, stood squarely and had a strong top line.

"She's a embryo, we flushed embryos from her mother and her sire is 200732 who is one of our main breeding sires and he's bred correct ewes and his rams are just as good so we're hoping for a good sale season," she said.

"We've sold semen to America from her sire too."

Ms van Niekerk said they looked at confirmation and femininity when selecting ewes for the show, and ensured they were joined.

"When they get to the show they should be in lamb," she said.

"Femininity, good confirmation, standing square, good top line, no dip in the shoulder and a nice coat of them.

"We felt all our hard work has paid off, it's not easy to breed ewes for a show."

Judge Wicus Cronje, Mildura, said both the supreme champion ram and grand champion ewe were "absolutely outstanding" examples of the breed.

"The femininity of the ewe is just fantastic and the masculinity of the ram is fantastic, they both have exactly the shapes you want," he said.