Three in a row in interbreed

The Squiers family, of Dongadilling Poll Dorset stud, won their third consecutive supreme champion award in the sheep interbreed competition at the IGA Perth Royal Show.

The Squiers’ Shirlee Downs Poll Dorset ram was earlier chosen as the supreme champion interbreed ram and their Dongadilling ewe was supreme champion interbreed ewe.

In the breed competition, judge Chris Marr said the ram and ewe were powerhouses, but the ewe had not put a foot wrong.

The two Poll Dorsets were the top picks of most of the six judges, with the Shirlee Downs ram outscoring a White Suffolk and the Dongadilling ewe ahead of a Pamellen Suffolk.

In the interbreed ram judging, Mr Marr placed the Shirlee Downs ram third, favouring the Prime SAMM ram, also exhibited by the Squiers.

But the Dongadilling ewe was a favourite of Mr Marr and two other judges. Judge Daryl Dixon said the ewe had sheer size and length, but had the Suffolk ewe just one point ahead.

In the breed judging, the under 1.5 year old ewe was up against 17 other Poll Dorset ewes, and competed against eight breed champions to be chosen as the best sheep in the shed.

In the group interbreed judging of three rams, first-time winners, the Sutherland family, of Sandown Prime SAMM stud, Perenjori, were pleased to accept the award.

In the British interbreed judging, an Iveston South Suffolk ram was chosen as champion ram and a Escholar Border Leicester ewe as champion ewe.

British, Australasian and Other Breeds

Supreme champion and champion ewe:Dongadilling (Poll Dorset)

Champion ram:Shirlee Downs (Poll Dorset)

Group of three rams:Sandown (Prime SAMM)

One ram and two ewes:Pamellen (Suffolk)

British Breeds

Supreme champion and champion ram:Iveston (South Suffolk)

Champion ewe:Escholar (Border Leicester)