Perth Royal Show: Meat and heritage sheep battle it out for Australasian and British sheep breeds competition

The Jim Horwood Sheep Pavilion was abuzz as heritage and meat sheep stud breeders from around the State showcased nine breeds for the chance to take home a coveted purple sash. The champion ewes and rams of each breed then went head-to-head for the purple sash and title of Grand Champion, the winner of which would later compete against all of the other breeds’ Grand Champion for the Interbreed Grand Champion sash. Australian White Champion Ewe: Windsong Valley Livestock Champion Ram: Windsong Valley Livestock Grand Champion: Windsong Valley Livestock ewe Judge: Anna Darke of Lincoln Downs Suffolk Stud An “extremely showy” Windsong Valley Livestock ewe scooped top spot in the two-stud Australian White competition, after impressing the judge with her “great style and presence” against a ram from the same stud. Judge Anna Darke said the ewe — which earlier won the Ewe Between One and Two Years class against four other entries — was structurally correct and a good representation of the breed. Exhibited by Windsong Valley Livestock’s farmhandMia Hancock, the ewe was out of the Bedfordale stud’s best ewe line. Stud principal Gemma Chenik said she was an embryo transfer ewe and had grown to be long-bodied and structurally correct. It was the first time in recent years Windsong had faced competition in the Australian White competition, with Stephen Abbott’s Harvey-based Moodi Whites returning to the show ring and scooping reserve champion ram. The Moodi Whites’ ram progressed to the Grand Champion Ram contest from the Ram Under One Year class. Ile de France Champion Ewe: Alcostro Champion Ram: Goldenover Grand Champion: Alcostro ewe Judge: Jason O’Loghlin of O’Loghlin Wiltshire Horn Sheep Stud Production over condition was key throughout the judging for the Ile de France competition, where an “incredibly dense” ewe from Alcostro Ile de France stud was awarded Grand Champion against a Goldenover ram. Judge Jason O’Loghlin said it was well worth the 4000km journey from his stud in Deniliquin to see the quality on offer in WA. Three studs battled it out across 14 classes with the June-drop ewe from Wagin awarded the purple sash after going up against a ram from Goldenover Ile de France stud in Narrogin for the top title. Mr O’Loghlin encouraged producers to “build your house first” and to focus on structure before size. It was this mantra that made the ewe stand out, with both it and the ram progressing from their respective Under 1.5 Years class. Despite choosing the ewe, Mr O’Loghlin still had plenty of praise for the Goldenover ram. “The ram came through for his correctness and I liked the way he walked, and his potential to be up on his feet,” he said. Alcostro stud owner Colin Batt said the ewe, presented by handler Stacey Evans, was from a home-bred sire. Lincoln Champion Ewe: Eaglenook Champion Ram: Eaglenook Grand Champion: Eaglenook ram Judge: Anna Drake of Lincoln Downs Suffolk Stud Eaglenook stamped its authority on the two-stud Lincoln competition at this year’s Perth Royal Show, with a stud ram named Grand Champion in a tight contest between a ewe from the same stud. The ram, from the Ram Over 1.5 Years and Under 2.5 Years class, faced off against an Eaglenook ewe from the Ewe Over 2.5 Years Class. Judge Anna Drake said it was a tight contest between the two, which both exhibited classic Lincoln characteristics. She ewe was a little lean in condition with a lamb at foot and the ram simply showed better on the day. It was a successful day for Eaglenook, which took out reserve champion ram with a ram from the Ram Over 2.5 Years. Stud owners Ruth and Ross Miller run about 30 Lincoln stud sheep, 400 Wiltipol stud ewes and 50 Wiltshire Horn stud ewes. They brought along four Lincoln rams and five Lincoln ewes to this year’s Perth Royal Show. Prime Samm Champion Ewe: Shirlee Downs Champion Ram: Shirlee Downs Grand Champion: Shirlee Downs ram Judge: Adrian Veitch of Kaya Dorper Stud A “faultless” and “safe” ram born in June last year was named the Grand Champion of the small showing of Prime SAMMs. Judge Adrian Veitch, of Kaya Dorper Stud at Narrogin, said the ram had “no faults at all” and was a “really safe sheep”. “He is extremely correct, with great shoulder and feet, a nice head, and good wool quality for the breed,” he said. It came down to a tight contest between a Shirlee Downs ewe from the Ewe Under 1.5 Years class for the Grand Champion award. Shirlee Downs Prime SAMM stud principal Sasha Squiers said the ram had 20.8 micron wool and 99.8 comfort factor. Mr Squiers said the ram had a good future as a stud sire, saying the family believed the breed were good “doing sheep”. The Squires brought four ewes and four ram Prime SAMMs to enter across four individual and three group classes at the Show. Shropshire Champion Ewe: Hazeldean Ferguson Champion Ram: Avonfaer Grand Champion: Hazeldean Ferguson ewe Judge: Anna Darke of Lincoln Downs Suffolk Stud A young ewe from Hazeldean Ferguson took out Grand Champion, after impressing the judge with her “showy” form. The August-2022 drop ewe, from the Novice Ewe Under 1.5 Years class, was recognised for her “structure and brilliant top line” — much to the delight of Hazeldean Ferguson founders Ross and Alex Robertson. Exhibited by Year 10 student Chloe Robinson, 16, from Kiara College in Perth, the ewe faced off against a ewe from Kyla Howard’s Avonfaer stud at Gidgegannup. Judge Anna Darke said the ewe stood extremely well but was a “little flighty” on the halter. “Some more experience and she will go far,” she said. Mr Robertson said the ewe was selected to show by his good friend and RASWA sheep councillor Peter Gelmi. Mr Gelmi said the winning Shropshire ewe was of Orange Grove bloodline and sired by a ram called George the First. “From a breeding point of view, she is typical of the Shropshire we want to breed,” he said. Mr Gelmi said the ewe was one of 12 ewe lambs bred by the stud last year, and one of five it chose to keep after selling seven. South Suffolk Champion Ewe: Iveston Champion Ram: Iveston Grand Champion: Iveston ram Judge: Laurie Fairclough of Stockdale Poll Dorset and White Suffolk stud It came down to a young ewe and a young ram from Iveston in the final moments of the two-stud South Suffolk competition. Judge Laurie Fairclough circled the pair for what felt like an eternity before selecting the Williams-based stud’s ram as the Grand Champion Suffolk. The decision didn’t come easy, he said, with the contest “very close”. The standard across the 14 classes was high, with Quairading-based Pettinson Park bringing an impressive line up of rams and ewes. “They were both so correct … but on the day the ram just had a little more muscle,” Mr Fairclough said. “Both were a credit to the breeders.” Iveston stud principal Grant Bingham said the ram was a “real stud sire” with heaps of potential. “But the thing I like most is that he’s structurally sound, I believe that is his best quality,” Mr Bingham said. The ram progressed from the Pair of Rams Under 1.5 Years class, with Mr Bingham saying he had been a clear stand-out. Suffolk Champion Ewe: Kalinda Champion Ram: WA College of Agriculture — Narrogin Champion Ewe: Kalinda Grand Champion: Kalinda ewe Judge: Guy Treweek of Induro White Suffolk and Ultra White Stud Smoothness in the front was what pushed a June 2022-drop Kalinda ewe over the line in one of the hottest contests of the day. Six studs batted it out across 14 classes for more than three hours before the Kalinda Suffolk Stud ewe took out the top prize after facing off against a Collegian ram bred by the WA College of Agriculture — Narrogin. It was her smooth top line that caught the judge’s eye with her “great depth of muscling” adding to her list of impressive qualities. Judging the contest was Guy Treweek, of Induro White Suffolk and Ultra White Stud in Wakool, New South Wales. “There was nothing much to fault in her,” Mr Treweek said. The win was a fitting way for Matt and Alison Mitsopoulos of Kalinda Suffolk stud to finish their final Perth Royal Show, after dispersing their stud days later. Mr Mitsopoulos said the Grand Champion was bred by a Kolinda ewe and sired by Jusak Ambassador, and was born in June 2022. She progressed to the top title after winning the Ewe Born Before June 30 class against 10 ewes from five studs. Texels Champion Ewe: Jimjan Champion Ram: Jimjan Grand Champion: Jimjan ewe Judge: Jason O’Loghlin of Loghlin Wiltshire Horns It was a 15-month old, full-bodied ewe from Jimjan Texel Stud that won the two-stud Texel competition and marked Jim Glover’s 25th year of attending the Perth Royal Show. The ewe, born June 2022, propelled into the supreme division after first winning the Ewe Under 1.5 Years class against three other ewes — one from Jimjam and two from Alicia Texel Stud. Jimjan’s strong-bodied Texels were too good to ignore, with the ewe facing off for the purple sash against a Jimjan ram from its respective Ram Under 1.5 Years class. Judge Jason O’Loghlin spoke at length about his admiration for the ewe, with great spring of rib and ability to carry her weight. “Standing side on and looking at the pair, for a young ewe she shows exceptional length,” he said. Mr O’Loghlin said he believed the ewe would have a greater effect on the flock than the ram and may eventually produce a ram that “might overpower” the one she came up against at the Perth Royal Show. Mr Glover exhibited his sheep with the help of his daughter Kristy Robertson, and his grandchildren Ella, 10, and Josie, 8. Wiltipoll Champion Ewe: Abasha Champion Ram: Eaglenook Grand Champion: Eaglenook ram Judge: Jason O’Loghlin of Loghlin Wiltshire Horns A young ram from Eaglenook and a young ewe from Abasha went head-to-head for the purple sash in the Wiltipoll competition, but it was the long carcase and calm temperament that pushed the ram over the line. Judge Jason O’Loghlin said the Eaglenook Wiltipoll Stud ram had handled well and was “long in the carcase”. “Both sheep are the most correct of today’s competition,” he said. Mr O’Loghlin said more broadly, he had been impressed by the feet on the sheep he saw throughout the two-stud Wiltipoll contest, which also included Abasha Wiltipoll Stud in Coolup. Eaglenook stud principal Ruth Miller also praised the ram for its good temperament. The Millers run 400 head of Wiltipoll stud ewes at Keysbrook, with a focus on shedding sheep with good muscling.