Ultra White, Corriedale, White Suffolk breeds claim major interbreed sashes at Bendigo

Studs from three states, including NSW, polled high in the Australian Sheep & Wool Show on Sunday, winning a series of major sashes for long, short and clean skin sheep types.

More than 200 people watched the judges carry out assessments on the sheep, wrapping up the three-day event.

The Australian Sheep & Wool Show 2022 interbreed winners included:

The founder of the Ultra White breed in Australia has won a prestigious title recognising his hard work, winning the 2022 clean skin supreme champion with an Ultra White ram.

Hillcroft Farms principals Dawson Bradford, Popanyinning, WA, developed the breed in 2005 with the desire to breed a sheep which met the requirements of producers, processors and the consumer.

"We looked around the world to see what other breeds were available to meet our requirements in a medium rainfall area," Mr Bradford said.

"We wanted a high-performance sheep and there was no other sheep in the world that could do that.

"We had a Poll Dorset stud for 30 years which was one of the highest performing studs in Australia and we decided we would take the wool off the Poll Dorset."

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From there, Mr Bradford introduced Dorper breeders, a natural-shedding meat sheep, to develop a breed which was 75 per cent Dorper, and 25pc Poll Dorset to create the Ultra White.

"We've now got this breed in New Zealand, in China, in southern Victoria and in Queensland and across Western Australia so they're a multi-purpose breed for varying climatic conditions," he said.

The supreme ram will be offered at the stud's on-property ram sale in October in WA.

Clean skin supreme class judge Brendan Mansbridge, Brooklyn Park Poll Dorsets, Eugowra, NSW, said shedding breeders were continuing to grow in popularity across the country.

"The ram had really good growth for its age for a sheep which is great to see, we want to get growth into our young sheep," he said.

"He also had beautiful width in the hindquarter and stood nice and wide.

"He was a good representation of what the Ultra White breed is aiming for and trying to offer."

Sweetfield Corriedale stud continued its fantastic run of accolades, taking out the interbreed supreme long wool champion competition with their Corriedale ram, Rocky.

Sweetfield Corriedale stud principal Bron Ellis said she was very proud of the win.

"His father won the 2017 interbreed here so to see his son win again is awesome," she said.

"It's very humbling that you can win it against other breeds, and for a Corriedale who has milk teeth, it's just great."

Ms Ellis' son Leigh Ellis said the ram had brilliant "bone structure throughout with size, supporting a very meaty, profitable carcase".

Long wool judge Peter Button, Ramsay Park White Suffolk stud, Minlaton, SA, said the competition came down to the Corriedales and the Border Leicesters, but all entries were perfect examples of their breeds.

"When you get to this level, it comes down to the little things and for me, those little things just tip the scale on the way things went and the outlook of the couple of the sheep were magnificent," he said.

A childhood dream came true at Bendigo on Sunday afternoon when a Wimmera stud principal won his first interbreed sash at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show.

Tim Jorgensen, Mertex Texel and White Suffolk stud, Antwerp, said he had dreamed of winning the multi-coloured sash from a young age.

He claimed both supreme and reserve short wool interbreed champion with a White Suffolk ram and ewe, respectively.

"Ever since I was a little kid, we've always come to this show and I've wanted to win a big, broad ribbon in the interbreed category," he said.

"There were some outstanding groups and individual sheep in the interbreed class today and to come away with first and second in both was very exceptional and satisfying."

The stud joins about 400 White Suffolk stud ewes, and about 150 Texel stud ewes.

"We try to breed sound, correct sheep which are full of meat and have good, top lines," Mr Jorgensen said.

"We really look for good temperament, mothering ability, growth and all those good, sound characteristics that exist in high-performing sheep."

Moments earlier, the Mertex stud also won the short wool group exhibit with two rams and a ewe.

Short wool judge Robert Grieve, Hillend Poll Dorset and Dorset Horn stud, Clarkes Hill, said many sheep were in the top-performing section of their breed.

"It was a great lineup of sheep with good-quality sheep for each breed out there on the floor," he said.

"It was a great result for the White Suffolks, along with the Dorsets and Southdowns which were magnificent sheep but had some better competition on the day."