THE standard of WA White Suffolk breeding left an impression on judge Anthony Ferguson, Anna Villa White Suffolk and Suffolk studs, Weetulta, South Australia, who had a tough day of decision making in the White Suffolk judging ring at this year’s IGA Perth Royal Show.
Eleven studs turned up to throw their hats in the ring this year, with 162 entries brought into the ring during the day of judging, representing a very high standard of breeding.
“I was very impressed by the White Suffolk sheep I’ve seen here,” Mr Ferguson said.
“The class winners here today would match up well anywhere across Australia and it was easy to find characteristics I was looking for in the top half a dozen sheep in every class.
“It was a pleasure to be involved in the judging here at Perth and congratulations to the exhibitors on an excellent line-up of White Suffolks.”
Students and teachers from Kiara College, Kiara, certainly had something to smile about by the end of the day, with the school taking out the major prize in the White Suffolk judging this year when their champion ewe was awarded the purple grand champion sash over the exemplary champion ram exhibited by the Yonga Downs stud, Gnowangerup.
The grand champion White Suffolk and champion ewe faced strong competition from the Yonga Downs team at every turn, winning its ewe under 1.5 year old class ahead of Yonga Downs in second, then winning champion ewe ahead of Yonga Downs in reserve before it beat out the champion ram exhibited by Yonga Downs for grand champion.
Mr Ferguson said he thought the Kiara College ewe was the best example of the White Suffolk breed there on the day.
“I was really happy with the champion ewe and champion ram I had up for the chance at grand champion White Suffolk – they were two absolutely beautiful sheep and represent their breeds very well,” Mr Ferguson said.
“I went with the ewe because she just had that fantastic femininity and I thought she had a touch more of the typical White Suffolk type in her.
“She’s got style, smoothness and a nice head.
“She carries herself well, she’s got meat where you want it and has a beautiful top line – she just draws attention.”
The ewe was a June 2017-drop lamb with Wheetlande blood and carcase figures including 15.7 PWWT,
-0.8 PFAT and 1.2 PEMD.
Of the champion White Suffolk ram, exhibited by Yonga Downs, Mr Ferguson said it was another beautiful example of the White Suffolk breed.
“He was structurally correct, very sound on his feet, had a great top line and meat right through him,” he said.
The champion ram had been sold at the WA Elite White Suffolk and Suffolk sale at Wagin in August to Jusak White Suffolk stud, Newdegate, for $12,000, demonstrating there were plenty of judges who would agree on the quality of the Bundara Downs blood ram with figures including 17.9 PWWT, -0.1 PFAT and 2.7 PEMD.
The broad ribbon for champion White Suffolk lamb was awarded to a stretchy ram lamb with a lot of potential from the Bingham family’s Iveston stud, Williams.
Once again, an entry from the Yonga Downs team came close with the judge giving the ewe lamb entry from the stud a special mention in his comments, but in the end Mr Ferguson went with the Iveston ram lamb, saying it had a lot of power and potential.
“Congratulations to the breeder on presenting an excellent example of the White Suffolk breed here in this young ram,” he said.
“He’s well fleshed with the bulk and volume to grow out very nicely.”
Though the champion ribbons were shared among a few studs, both the reserve champion ram and reserve champion ewe ribbons went to entries from Yonga Downs, and if that wasn’t enough, the stud also took out first place in all three group classes.
The breeder’s group of one ram and two ewes was won by Yonga Downs thanks to a powerful ram and two very even, feminine ewes, with the entries from Kiara College and Stockdale stud, York, coming in at second and third place.
The group of three rams presented by Yonga Downs picked themselves according to the judge with matching hindquarters on all three, with teams from Iveston stud, Williams, and Kohat stud, Ongerup, taking the ribbons for second and third respectively.
Finally, the progeny group of three was taken out by the same team of Yonga Downs rams, all sired by Bundara Downs 156938, with Kiara College’s team of three Wheetlande blood ewes in second and Iveston’s team of three rams by Warburton 400 in third.
