THIS year's Perth Royal Show won't be one that will be easily forgotten by Yonga Downs White Suffolk stud principals Brenton and Harriet Addis, Gnowangerup, as they claimed their second interbreed supreme meat breeds champion title.
Not only did they exhibit the interbreed supreme meat breeds champion, they also walked away with another three interbreed ribbons after winning three of the four other interbreed classes judged.
The stud last won the top award in the meat breeds shed in 2018 with a ram and in that year it also claimed both the interbreed group awards.
With 470 sheep in the shed from 36 studs, representing 14 breeds, it wasn't going to be an easy task for the judges to settle on their interbreed supreme meat breeds champion exhibit, however they did and it was a Yonga Downs White Suffolk ram which eventually got their nod and the supreme ribbon.
Along with taking home the supreme champion ribbon, the Addis family also went home with an $800 cash prize sponsored by Nutrien Livestock.
The classy young ram earned the top award when it got the nod from four of the five judges, in front of a stylish White Suffolk ewe also from the Yonga Downs stud, which had been sashed the interbreed grand champion meat breeds ewe.
Judge Gordon Close, Closeup Poll Dorset and Suffolk studs, Finley, New South Wales, said the ram had everything right and was hard to fault.
"He is a big, long, structurally correct ram," Mr Close said.
"He has impressive size and great style also.
"You just can't fault him."
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Along with taking home the coveted supreme champion of the shed title, the ram was also sashed the interbreed grand champion meat breeds ram of the show when it finished on six points, eight points clear of the reserve champion.
The Yonga Downs ram stood in the interbreed competition after taking out the champion ram title in the White Suffolk judging, where it was also sashed the grand champion White Suffolk.
In the White Suffolk judging, judge Rivers Hyde, Kohat stud, Ongerup, said the ram was a clear winner and a class above the rest.
"He took my eye as soon as he walked into the ring," Mr Hyde said.
"He has great muscling in his hindquarter which really stood out.
"He is a moderate sized ram with plenty of muscle and what the industry needs to breed early maturing sucker lambs.
"You just can't fault him."
The 2021-drop ram is by Yonga Downs 190388 and it came from the scan class initially in the White Suffolk judging where it beat seven other rams in the class to the first-placed blue ribbon.
In the scan class the 135 kilogram ram displayed scans of 47.8mm eye muscle depth (EMD) and 9.1mm fat.
The ram was sold at the Yonga Downs on-property ram sale at the beginning of September for $3300 to the Pyle family, Millstream Pastoral, Manypeaks.
When it came to the ewe judging, the Yonga Down's ewe didn't claim the interbreed grand champion meat breeds ewe ribbon quite as easily as the stud's winning ram.
The classy ewe from the Yonga Downs stud won the title when it received nine points from the judges to be just three points clear of the reserve.
Judge Brenton Heazlewood, Melton Park English Leicester and Border Leicester studs, Whitemore, Tasmania, said the Yonga Downs ewe was a very impressive ewe.
"She is very well-balanced and good on her feet and has a good structure," Mr Heazlewood said.
"She has the overall package and is a very stylish, feminine ewe."
The early June 2021-drop ewe is by Yonga Downs 190384 and it started on its winning way after winning its class for White Suffolk ewes, under 1.5 years born after June 1, 2021, in front of six other ewes, before going on to be sashed the champion White Suffok ewe.
When Mr Hyde sashed it the champion White Suffolk ewe, he said it was a very impressive ewe.
"She is clean through the shoulders and has muscle in all the right spots," Mr Hyde said.
"She has a beautiful feminine touch and would be a good breeder in any stud flock.
"She is a credit to the breeders."
The success for the Yonga Downs stud in the interbreed competition didn't finish with just these two sheep.
The stud also claimed the top award in the interbreed breeder's group class for one ram and two ewes when its team finished on eight points, to be seven points ahead of the next closest teams which was a Texel team from Jim and Jan Glover's JimJan stud, Boyup Brook and a Suffolk team from Nick and Gina Cheetham's, Cheetara stud, Narembeen.
Mr Hyde said the Yonga Downs group was a very even group in terms of the style of the animals.
"The ram and two ewes show the same style which is important," Mr Hyde said.
"The ram is a big powerful ram which stands up over the ewes while the two are both upstanding feminine ewes.
"They are three impressive White Suffolks."
The two ewes in the team were both by Yonga Downs 190238, while the ram was the stud's supreme interbreed champion ram.
Standing in reserve to both the Yonga Downs exhibits in the respective ram and ewe interbreed classes were Poll Dorsets from the Squiers family's Shirlee Downs and Dongadilling studs, Quairading.
The interbreed reserve grand champion meat breeds ram ribbon went to a sire from the family's Dongadilling stud, which finished on 14 points.
Mr Close, who had judged earlier in the Poll Dorset judging ring, said it was an upstanding, structurally sound, with a great carcase ram.
"His meat quality is unbelievable, his muscle expression down his back leg really stood out," Mr Close said.
"He also has great neck extension, a good Poll Dorset head and is up on his feet.
"I would certainly be happy to take him home."
The ram was in the interbreed competition after first winning its class for ram under 1.5 years born after April 1, 2021, ahead of five other rams and then being sashed the champion Poll Dorset ram.
The 133kg ram is by Ivadene 170139 and out of Dongadilling 170381 and when scanned two weeks ago it had scans of 48mm EMD and 7.1mm fat.
When it came to the interbreed reserve grand champion meat breeds ewe ribbon, it was a ewe from the Squiers family's Shirlee Downs stud that took it home after finishing on 12 points.
Mr Hyde said the Shirlee Downs ewe was correct and a good Poll Dorset type.
"She is a good carcase ewe with a good length of body," Mr Hyde said.
Prior to standing in the interbreed judging the Shirlee Downs ewe initially won its class for ewes under 1.5 years born after April 1, 2021, in front of eight other ewes.
From there it went on to be sashed the grand champion Poll Dorset and champion Poll Dorset ewe.
At this point Mr Close said the ewe had beautiful neck extension, perfect shoulders and beautiful meat down the rump.
"She is certainly ready to go out in the paddock and do her job," he said.
The April 2021-drop ewe is by Ivadene 170139 and out of Shirlee Downs 170152.
After missing out on top spot in the single interbreed classes the Squiers family went one better in the prestigious interbreed group class for three rams under 1.5 years when a team of Poll Dorsets from their Shirlee Downs stud shone through to take top honours after finishing on nine points.
Not only did they win the purple broad ribbon, they also took home $3000 thanks to class sponsor Elders Limited.
Judge Adrian Veitch, Kaya Dorper and White Dorper studs, Narrogin, said the Shirlee Downs Poll Dorset team was very even.
"They are three structurally correct rams, with good muscling and stretch," Mr Veitch said.
"They are like peas in a pod and a very good representation of the Poll Dorset breed."
Two of the rams in the team were by Ivadene 170139 and one was by Shirlee Downs 190135, which is a son of Ivadene 170139.
The three rams in the team weighed 125kg, 133kg and 139kg.
Success in the class for the Squiers family continued when a Prime SAMM team also from their Shirlee Downs stable finished second on 10 points.
Mr Veitch said like the Poll Dorset team the Prime SAMM team were like peas in a pod and an extremely even group.
"They are three really good Prime SAMM rams and they are a credit to the Squiers family," Mr Veitch said.
Third place went to a White Suffolk team from the O'Neill family's Annaghdowns stud, McAlinden, which finished on 15 points.
In the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA) interbreed competition, the grand champion ribbons were shared between the South Suffolk, Wiltipoll and Shropshire breeds.
The ASSBA supreme champion exhibit was a South Suffolk ram from the Bingham family's Iveston stud, Williams.
The ram, which was also sashed the ASSBA grand champion ram, won the ribbon in a unanimous decision in front of a Wiltipoll ewe from the Miller family's Eaglenook stud, Keysbrook, which was sashed the ASSBA grand champion ewe.
Judge Glenn Cole, Sasimwa Suffolk and White Suffolk studs, York, said the Iveston ram was a very well-balanced sire which was good on its feet and very correct.
"He has good stretch and length of loin," Mr Cole said.
"He wouldn't hurt any stud breeding program."
The 2021-drop ram was sired by Windle Hill 190926.
The ASSBA reserve grand champion ram was exhibited by the Miller's Eaglenook Lincoln stud, Keysbrook.
When it came to the Eaglenook Wiltipoll ewe which was sashed the grand champion ASSBA ewe, Mr Cole said it was a good ewe which was putting everything it had into its lamb.
"She has a very good lamb at foot and as a result at the moment she is lacking a bit of condition, but when that lamb is weaned she will have a fair bit more on her carcase," Mr Cole said.
Standing in reserve to the Eaglenook Wiltipoll ewe and being sashed the ASSBA reserve grand champion ewe was a Border Leicester ewe from Kelmscott Senior High School.
In the ASSBA breeder's group class for one ram and two ewes the broad ribbon was draped across a team of Shropshires from the Hazeldene Ferguson stud, Ferguson.
