Willow Drive South Suffolk stud wins at Melbourne Royal Show

The ewe had two lambs at foot and was by Willow Drive South Suffolk stud principal Barry Shalders, Grassmere, who also took out champion ram.

Mr Shalders has been showing South Suffolk sheep at Melbourne for almost 20 years, after establishing his stud in 1993.

He said in his time he had won quite a few championships, but coming to a show and winning all the major ribbons was a delight.

He also took out most successful exhibitor of the breed, and had success in the English Leicester showring earlier in the day.

He said the almost three-year-old ewe had won her class at shows across the state already, including the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, Sheepvention, the Royal Geelong Show and others, and had "won supreme at half of them, too".

He said there were a lot of positive traits about her.

"She's got a good length, good meat carcase, good width of loin and a good backline," he said.

"And she breeds well, as you can see by the lambs she has at foot, and she also bred the reserve champion ewe."

He said her show days were limited, but she would compete at the Royal Geelong Show again next month.

Mr Shalders said the champion ram, who was 12-months-old, was "well balanced and put together".

South Suffolk judge Fairbank stud principal Chris Badcock, Hagley, Tas, said it was a challenge splitting the two champions.

"But the ewe has proven herself, whereas the ram hasn't," he said.

"She's got two great lambs on her.

"She's a good, sound ewe and is structurally very good.

"What more can you ask for?"

He said the ram was a good, young ram.

"He's very well fleshed right through his back and to his hindquarters," he said.

"He's structurally very correct."