Garvald Lincoln stud wins at Melbourne Royal Show

Garvald Lincoln stud principal Rae Christie, Byaduk, said the three sheep she brought to the show only had nine months' worth of wool on them.

"We aim to shear them at this time of year but last year we couldn't get any shearers, so we weren't able to shear them until Christmas Day," Ms Christie said.

"That meant they only have nine months of wool on them, when they'd normally have 12."

But despite these concerns, her three-year-old ram still took out top of the breed at the show.

"We're very happy with this boy," she said.

"He's got nice, long wool and a beautiful disposition."

She said the breed's genetic pool was becoming so small, it made it hard to continuously improve, "but the quality's still there".

"To still be able to produce the quality of sheep that's been shown today is a great thing," she said.

Ms Christie said they would normally show their sheep at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo and Sheepvention in Hamilton, but they were overseas this year, so missed out.

That meant this was the ram's first ribbon win.

She said she was very pleased to take out the top prize.

The ram won the championship over the champion ewe of the breed, which was exhibited by Allaray Lincoln stud principal Helen Raven, Henty, NSW.

Ms Raven also won most successful exhibitor of the breed.

Lincoln judge Australian Sheep Breeders Association president Peter Baker, Baringhup, said it was very hard to split the top-two exhibits.

"It was not an easy decision to make," Mr Baker said.

"The ram's loin and top line are magnificent and he carries it all the way down the hindquarter.

"He was a very-hard sheep to fault."

He said he "loved" the ewe.

"She was beautifully balanced and a true Lincoln with that width of loin we're looking for," he said.

"The only thing that let her down was she had an issue with her front foot."