It was a case of déjà vu for the Veitch family's Kaya Dorper and White Dorper stud, Narrogin, in the Dorper and White Dorper judging at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo, Victoria, last week.
After claiming the supreme Dorper and White Dorper titles at last year's show, the stud, which has been showing at Bendigo since 2015, showed it was no fluke and backed it up this year to again win the two top awards.
Winning the supreme awards for the stud were two upstanding young rams when they got the tick of approval from judge Wicus Cronje, Mildura, Victoria, who has been involved in the breed for more than 60 years in South Africa and Australia, and used to run the oldest Dorper stud in South Africa.
The Veitchs exhibited nine White Dorpers (seven rams and two ewes) and 10 Dorpers (eight rams and two ewes).
Leading the charge for the stud in the White Dorpers was an upstanding ram which Mr Cronje said was a very good example of the breed and a clear winner over the grand champion ewe exhibited by Dell stud, Moana, New South Wales.
"He has a strong head, is very sound and walks like a dream," Mr Cronje said.
"He also has a very good topline and good loin development which goes all the way through to the shoulder.
"He has all the carcase traits you need and should be looking for."
Prior to being named the supreme White Dorper exhibit, the ram was also sashed the grand champion and champion senior White Dorper ram.
The ram earned the right to compete in the champion judging after finishing first in its class for White Dorper rams over 1.5 years, but under 2.5 years, ahead of three other rams.
The well-made and well-muscled ram is by Kaya 190529, which was the top-priced ram in the 2020 Southern Region Annual Supreme Dorper & White Dorper Ram & Ewe Sale.
The Kaya stud also exhibited the champion and reserve champion junior White Dorper rams, reserve champion senior White Dorper ram and champion and reserve champion junior White Dorper ewes.
When it came to the champion and reserve champion junior rams from Kaya, Mr Cronje said the champion had good muscling through the shoulders, length of length and depth of flank.
"He is a very well-balanced young ram for his age," Mr Cronje said.
"The reserve was of similar quality to the champion but just not as long.
"He is also very well-balanced and carries a lot of meat."
Both these rams placed first and second in the class for rams under 1.5 year born from May 1 to July 31, 2022, which attracted four entries.
The champion is by Kaya 200271 and the reserve is by Kaya 200704.
When awarding the junior ewe champion and reserve champion ribbons to the Kaya stud, Mr Cronje said both exhibits were good young, well-balanced ewes that were a great representation of the breed.
"They both have good structures and toplines as well as plenty of meat," he said.
"The champion has a good meat and fat combination, which I like to see and she was also just in front of the reserve champion ewe as she has more length, a better twist and better muscling in the shanks."
Both were dropped in May 2022, with the champion by Kaya 200341 and the reserve by Kaya 200545.
The grand champion White Dorper ewe ribbon went to the senior champion ewe from the Dell, stud, which Mr Cronje said was a fantastic ewe with good structure and good femininity.
"She also has a good topline and is carrying plenty of meat," Mr Cronje said.
"She is another great representation of the breed and her extra depth got her over the line for the grand champion ribbon."
A powerful ram from the Kaya stud also caught Mr Cronje's eye and was sashed the supreme Dorper exhibit.He said the ram was an outstanding specimen.
"He has great masculinity as well as good shape and structure," Mr Cronje said.
"He has a beautiful head and a very long body.
"His carcase quality is impressive with a good combination between fat and muscle.
"He has good development of meat right through and, in particular, a great length of rump."
Prior to being sashed the supreme Dorper exhibit, the ram won its class for Dorper rams over 1.5 years but under 2.5 years ahead of five other rams.
From there it was sashed the champion senior Dorper ram and grand champion Dorper ram.
The September 2021-drop ET-bred ram is by Kaya 200520 and out of Kaya 180691.
A full ET-brother to the supreme exhibit collected another champion ram for Kaya when it was sashed the reserve champion senior Dorper ram.
Mr Cronje said this ram also had amazing carcase quality and length of rump.
Kaya's success in the Dorper ram classes wasn't restricted to the senior rams, it collected the champion and reserve champion junior Dorper ram titles.
Mr Cronje said the junior champion Dorper ram from Kaya was an excellent example of the breed, but was pipped for the grand champion ribbon as it didn't have the power of the senior champion.
"This young ram has excellent carcase quality, a top loin and twist plus good growth for age," Mr Cronje said.
"He also paraded very well and has a good length of body."
The April 2022-drop ram which is a son of Kaya 180129 was in the champion line-up after winning the class for Dorper rams under 1.5 years born before April 30, 2022.
When it came to Kaya's reserve champion junior Dorper ram, Mr Cronje said it had a good body fat and meat combination but it lacked the presence and style of the champion.
The August 2022-drop ram is by Kaya 20231 and was from the class for Dorper rams under 1.5 years born between August 1 and September 30, 2022.
Kaya also exhibited the reserve champion junior Dorper ewe and Mr Cronje said it was a very good representation of the breed and the type of ewe you really want to breed from.
"She is very feminine and carries a good amount of meat," he said.
Kaya was named the most successful Dorper exhibitor.The grand champion Dorper ewe was exhibited by the Dell stud.
The Kaya stud also recorded good results in the Annual BreedELITE Dorper Sheep Society of Australia Southern Region Supreme Dorper and White Dorper sale, which ran over the three days of the show as an online sale on AuctionsPlus.
In the sale Kaya achieved the $6200 top price for a Dorper ram, Kaya 210939 (ET), which is by Kaya 170924.
It has Australian Sheep Breeding Values of -0.21 for birthweight, 7.92 weaning weight, 11.13 post weaning weight, 0.57 post weaning eye muscle depth, -0.66 post weaning fat, 0.09 number of lambs weaned, 4.30 shear force, along with a MCP index of 135.53.
All up, the stud offered and sold four Dorper rams for an average of $3000.
The stud offered six Dorper ewes and sold three for an average of $1267 and a top of $1800 which was paid for its reserve champion junior ewe.
In the White Dorpers, Kaya recorded the breed's top price of $5200 twice for its rams, Kaya 210074 and Kaya 211402.
Kaya 210074, was dropped in May 2022, has a MCP index of 132.80 and was the reserve champion senior White Dorper ram while Kaya 211402 was born in October 2022 and has been used in the Kaya stud.
All up the stud offered and sold four White Dorper rams to an average of $3375.
The stud's offering was rounded out by six White Dorper ewes, of which only one sold for $1000.All up in the sale six Dorper rams sold from 14 offered at an average of $2533, while four from nine White Dorper rams were cleared at an average of $3375.
In the ewes nine from 12 Dorper ewes sold at an average of $711, while only one White Dorper ewe sold from six offered of $1000.
