A Dorper ewe which was named champion senior ewe at this year’s Tenterfield Show has gone on to perform well on the national stage, sashed with a third-place ribbon at the Royal Toowoomba Show.
The Dorper Society of Australia held its National Dorper & White Dorper Show in conjunction with the Toowoomba Show earlier this month, attracting 250 entries from across the country. Western Australia stud Kaya Dorpers won Supreme Exhibit of the show with its show-stopping ram.
Grant Hutchings of Tenterfield’s Eventine Dorper and Kelpie Stud said he and his partners in the enterprise – wife Tracey and mother Monica – were daunted at the prospect of participating at the national level but were bolstered by the recommendation of Tenterfield Show judge David Curtis, of Bellevue Dorpers fame.
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“We weren’t sure but David recommended we participate, and he was proved right,” Mr Hutchings said.
He and his wife took three sheep to Toowoomba, including the Tenterfield Show’s Champion Junior Ram and a younger ewe which had gone on to be named Tenterfield’s Supreme Exhibit.
It was the older ewe – named Champion Senior Ewe in Tenterfield – that took podium honours in the 4 tooth and over class in Toowoomba however. Mr Hutchings said he and his partners are thrilled with the result, considering the very high standard of competition.
The Eventine ewes had little show preparation, having just been taken out of the paddock from joining with the rams. Buoyed by this year’s outcome Mr Hutchings said the stud would be back again at the national show next year (again to be held in Toowoomba), potentially with the product of this year’s joining.
