THE Suffolk breed has long been a strong contender among the British and Australasian breeds at the Make Smoking History Wagin Woolorama and in 2019 it proved it is a force to be reckoned with, taking out the supreme interbreed champion exhibit.
There were eight studs in attendance, bringing along 71 Suffolk rams and ewes to contest the seven separate classes and the all important place ribbons and champion breed sashes.
There were large classes in the younger categories, which made the work hard going for interstate judge, Greg Good, Bowen Suffolk Stud, Orange, New South Wales.
With a total of 16, under one-year-old rams and 16 under one-year-old ewes lined up in their respective classes, Mr Good said he thought it would be tough, but was absolutely thrilled with the excellent line up of sheep being brought to the ring by the Western Australian breeders.
“The quality has been outstanding today,” Mr Good said.
“I was hoping to see a really high standard and it has not disappointed me.”
Supporting these early observations was the ultimate decision to present the champion ram sash to a young under one-year-old ram, showing milk teeth, with a maximum wool length of one centimetre and no trimming allowed, exhibited by the Jusak Suffolk stud, Newdegate.
This ram had won the very first class of the day and beat off 15 other competitors to the broad ribbon and sash.
Mr Good said he knew the ram was outstanding the first time he saw it walk into the ring.
“He has great muscling and width to his body,” he said.
“He has very smooth shoulders and this carries right through to the hindquarter.
“He is a great Suffolk type all over, is very good on his feet and is particularly great in the front end.”
With the high level of praise it is no wonder the champion ram went on to become the grand champion Suffolk over the ewe, with Mr Good noting the ram was just too strong for the ewe on the day.
“Today he was a clear winner,” he said.
“His size and sire ability are fantastic.
“He really has tremendous bone, which is important, without this great bone you won’t get as much muscle throughout the body.”
Clearly this high praise was well worth it and the judge was not exaggerating the appeal of the Jusak ram one iota, because he was joined in his decision by the four other judges of the British and Australasian breed section when the ram went on to become the grand champion Interbreed ram at the end of the day.
It was definitely a great win for Peter and Rochell Walker, who have had an 11-year hiatus from the show ring but were encouraged by Roy Addis, Landmark, to return in 2019.
Peter Walker said the champion ram was Jusak 8093 and a July 2018 drop, single ram sired by Pamellen Max 110/14 and out of a Jusak ewe.
The sire of the dam was Karinya 7123/07.
“8093 has an extremely strong show pedigree as Max was supreme at Perth Royal in 2015, selling for a State record (at the time) of $8000,” Mr Walker said.
“Karinya 7123 was supreme at Northam in 2008.
“8093 was a great lamb and at 115 days old weighed 61.5kg, had 36.5mm WMD and 2.6 mm PFAT.
“Having grown at 640 grams a day in his last 60 days, he is a solid ram and will be for sale at the West Australian Elite Suffolk Sale in August with full EBV figures.”
The reserve champion Suffolk ram sash was awarded to a ram that came out of the pairs class and was exhibited by Pamellen Suffolk stud, Clackline, with the pairs also from the young under one year old rams.
Fittingly it was a Pamellen young ewe from the pair of ewe entries, that took the champion ewe sash as well as another one of its ewes from the large under one year category that came in as reserve champion ewe, in what would be the stud’s last ever showing.
Pamellen has featured prominently in the broad ribbons at both the Wagin Woolorama and Perth Royal Show over many years and they will be missed greatly in the future.
When the champion ewe was sashed Mr Good said the ewe was the whole package.
“It was a difficult selection process,” he said.
“In the end I couldn’t go past the ewe out of the pairs as she was the most complete ewe in the line up.
“She has a really nice topline, stands well, has a nice backend and really doesn’t have a fault.”
Pamellen won both the ram and two ewes and the progeny group with the same Suffolk team, sired by Pamellen Black Jack.
Mr Good said the group was very even with a great sirey ram and two correct ewes.
The three remaining studs in Alibry, Kalinda and Karinya all shared in place ribbons through the classes.