Record sheep numbers at the Longford Show

A record number of sheep were exhibited at the Longford Show on Saturday as some of the industry’s key milestones and dominant breeds were recognised.

There were 160 fine specimens representing the best wool and meat sheep in the state paraded for the judges, with a Sunnybanks Poll Dorset ewe taking out Supreme Exhibit.

The small Penguin stud owned by Paul Day recently excelled at the Australasian Dorset Championships in Bendigo, and at Longford was also awarded Champion White Suffolk Ram and White Suffolk Ewe, Champion Poll Dorset Ram and Poll Dorset Ewe, Charolais Champion Ram and Champion Ewe, Supreme Interbreed Ewe (Poll Dorset), Supreme Interbreed Ram in Show (Poll Dorset) and Supreme Prime Lamb Breeds Ram (Poll Dorset).

Noble Lea stud at Campania followed on from its Royal Hobart Show success to clean sweep the Suffolk section with Champion Ram and Champion Ewe and reserves, as well as Supreme Interbreed Group.

Blenheim Farm dominated the Poll Merinos, Kirkdale shone in the Southdown section and Melton Park had enormous success with their English Leicesters as did Mount Dromedary with the Dorpers.

Most Successful Hampshire Down Exhibitor was Marananga, owned by Rod Summers at Evandale, who was among the proud bevy of breeders celebrating 25 years of the Hampshire Downs in Tasmania.

Sheep section chief steward Brian Shadbolt said the sheep section was more than 50 entries up on last year with a total of 160, resulting in extra pens being erected to cater for the numbers.

He said it was great to see the long-term strength of sheep and wool production in the state celebrated on several fronts.

It was the 100th year anniversary of the formation of the Australian Stud Sheep Breeder’s Association (ASSBA) who awarded ribbons to the best member exhibits in each section.

A memorial prize was offered to recognise the late Terry Connell, a show stalwart who put in more than 40 years as a key organiser in the sheep and wool pavilions including decades as the sheep section chief steward – retiring from the job when he turned 80.

In his honour a special prize was awarded to the Best Presented Sheep in Wool, a beautiful pair of hand shears, which went to Marananga.

Following Terry’s death earlier this year his wife Jan found a poem he’d written called “The Hamp”, and Brian red it out to an emotional audience on show day.

For the first time Merinos were represented at Longford Show, with both Glen Stuart at Deddington and Miena, at Lamont near Oatlands, showing some quality sheep.

Organisers of the show were thrilled with the overall turnout, with fine weather helping contribute to a record number of patrons through the gate.

Show secretary Kristy Springer said that Longford Show continues to represent the best of rural life and proudly offers a taste of it to everyone who comes along.

“You see just as many people from the city as the country enjoying the equestrian events, the sheep dog trials, the home industries and wood chopping,” she said.

SHEEP SHOW RESULTS:

DORPER, Champion Ram, Mount Dromedary (Over1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ram, Mount Dromedary (Under1 1/2), Champion Ewe, Mount Dromedary (Under 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ewe, Mount Dromeday (Over 1 1/2). 

RYLAND, Champion Ram, Capelands, Reserve Champion Ram, Langara, Champion Ewe, Capelands (Over 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ewe, Capelands (Under 1 1/2 shorn). 

ROMNEY, Champion Ram, Ridgeside (Over 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ram, Ridgeside (Under 1 1/2), Champion Ewe, Little Nook (Under 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ewe, Little Nook (Under 1 1/2). 

ENGLISH LEICESTER, Champion Ram, Melton Park (Under 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ram, Melton Park (Over 1 1/2), Champion Ewe, Melton Park (Under 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ewe, Melton Park (Under 1 1/2). 

HAMPSHIRE DOWN, Champion Ram, Loatta (over 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ram, Marananga (Under 1 1/2), Champion Ewe, Marananga (Under 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ewe, Marananga (Over 1 1/2 shorn). 

WHITE SUFFOLK, Champion Ram, Sunnybanks, Reserve Champion Ram, Cardello, Champion Ewe, Sunnybanks (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ewe, Sunnybanks (Under 1 1/2 shorn). 

SOUTHDOWN, Champion Ram, Kirkdale (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ram, Koondah (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Champion Ewe, Kirkdale (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ewe, Kirkdale (Under 1 1/2 shorn). 

POLL DORSET, Champion Ram, Sunnybanks (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Champion Ewe, Sunnybanks (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ewe, Capelands (Under 1 1/2 shorn). 

SUFFOLK, Champion Ram, Noble Lee (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ram, Noble Lee (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Champion Ewe, Noble Lee (Under 1 1/2 shorn), Reserve Champion Ewe, Noble Lee (Under 1 1/2 shorn). 

BORDER LEICESTER, Champion Ewe, Melton Park (Under 1 1/2). 

MERINO, Champion Ram, Glen Stuart, Reserve Champion Ram, Miena, Champion Ewe, Miena, Reserve Champion Ewe, Miena. 

CHAROLLAIS, Champion Ram, Sunnybanks, Reserve Champion Ram, Sunnybanks, Champion Ewe, Sunnylands, 

POLL MERINO, Champion Ram, Blenheim Farm (Under 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ram, Blenheim Farm (Over 1 1/2), Champion Ewe, Blenheim Farm (Over 1 1/2), Reserve Champion Ewe, Blenheim Farm (Over 1 1/2). 

LAMBS, Ram, Evanstoke Hampshire Down, Ewe, Capelands. 

JUNIOR SHEEP HANDLERS, 15 and over, 5 Entries, First, Alexis Weeding, Second, Imogen Baldock, Under 15, 17 Entries, First, Cooper Hogarth, Second, Nate Cresswell, 

BEST PRESENTED SHEEP IN WOOL, Marananga Hampshire Down. 

SUPREME INTERBREED GROUP IN SHOW, Champion, Noble Lee Suffolk, Reserve Champion, Sunnybanks White Suffolk. 

SUPREME INTERBREED EWE IN SHOW, Champion, Sunnybanks Poll Dorset, Reserve Champion, Sunnybanks White Suffolk, ASBA, Hampshire. 

SUPREME INTERBREED RAM IN SHOW, Champion, Sunnybanks Poll Dorset, Reserve Champion, Sunnybanks White Suffolk, ASBA, Suffolk. 

SUPREME PRIME LAMB BREEDS RAM, Sunnybanks Poll Dorset, ASBA, Noble Lee Suffolk Ewe, 

SUPREME SHOW EXHIBIT, Sunnybanks Poll Dorset Ewe. 

MOST SUCCESSFUL HAMPSHIRE DOWN EXHIBITOR, Marananga.

YARD DOG TRIALS

Novice
1st - Adrian Carpenter & Percy 
2nd - Adrian Carpenter & Piper
3rd - Scott Bone & Ziggy
          Tim Hall & Xena
          Scott Bone & Gus

Improver
1st - Tim Hall & Claude
2nd - Scott Bone & Bronc


Open
1st - Scott Bone & Rye
2nd - Adrian Carpenter & Monster
3rd - Adrian Carpenter & Biggin 

EQUESTRIAN

JUMPING RESULTS:

Class 1A              .80cm Open “Des Chugg Tyres” & “Koppers Wood” 

1st          WELLBROOK ICE BANDIT   Linda Gray

2nd         LITTLE DUCK                         Tayla Clayton

3rd          WANNA THRILL                    Larna Seadon

4th          DIESEL ENGINE                     Isabelle Wynwood

5th          LORRELYN VISSIA                 Jodie Gardam

Class 1B              .80cm Junior “Sarah & Richard Johnston” (IC Boyes Memorial)

1st          BELLS MOUNTAIN BYRON Marnie Lyne

2nd         ECHO MALIK                         Ruby Bramich

3rd          INDIGO                                   Lucy Archer

4th          SIRKADIR                              Ruby Hirst

5th          WARAWEE TOP DESIGN     Aggie Lyne

Class 2A              .90cm Open “Jacks Bus Service” & “Austral Bricks”

1st          PARKSIDE PRINCE                 Eve Hall

2nd         TONASHI CARBI                    Danielle Whatley

3rd          PROSECUTOR                        Abbie Bessell

4th          ROSEBANK RULER                Nori Taurian

5th          DIESEL ENGINE                     Isabelle Wynwood 

Class 2B              .90cm Junior “Gee’s Electricial” & “Pizza Pub”

1st          ECKO MALIK                         Ruby Bramich

2nd         LANTREE X FACTOR             Matilda Cameron

3rd          SIRKADIR                             Ruby Hirst

4th         SCARLETT                             Gemma-Lee Scott

5th          BELLS MOUNTAN BYRON   Marnie Lyne

Class 3                 1.05m “Tasmanian Quality Meats”

1st          LANDSTAR 9                         Michaella Shaw

2nd         VALLEY PARK BEL AIR         Danielle Whatley

3rd          THE EAGLE ROCK                  Jo Geard

4th          MINNIE BOW PINK              Jessica Cowan

5th          LH VERUCA                           Laura Johnson

Class 4                 1.15m “ADOB DESIGN HOMES”

1st          AMBERVALE SMUDGE                  Jo Geard

2nd         SILVERWOODS AUSSIE PRIDE      Georgia Elias

3rd          INCLINE PARK REMEMBRANCE   Georgia Elias

4th          ROUGH ROAD                                Jessica Cowan

5th          JUST ROLLING                                Mandy Wilson     

Class 5                 1.30 Open Championship (John Ibbott Memorial) “Alberts Diesel Service” Launceston (Michael & Claire Walker)  “Wentworth Equestrian”  donated Rug

1st          SILVERWOODS AUSSIE PRIDE      Georgia Elias

2nd         AMBERVALE SMUDGE                  Jo Geard

3rd          CON BRIO                                        Ava Walker

4th          TIMELESS CHILD                            Shakira Miller

Bruce & Kathryn Goss “Champion Young Rider”               AVA WALKER “Con Brio”

Class 6                 1.10 Open Championship “Cressy Petroleum”  “Karen Mitchell” donated Rug

1st          LH VERUCA                                     Laura Johnson

2nd         SADIE GREIG                                   Sarah Diprose

3rd          LANDSTAR 9                                   Michaella Shaw

4th          CIC DARA CHURCHILL                   Taylah Evans

5th          INCLINE PARK REMEMBRANCE   Georgia Elias

Casey Family “Champion Junior Rider    ZARA CONROY “CSU Highland Dancer”

Class 7                .95m Open Championship “Gradco”      “Lyne Family” donated Rug

1st          HAZZARDY SMART SHILLING       Brittany Hine

2nd         TONASH CARBI                              Danielle Whatley

3rd          PROSECUTOR                                 Abbie Bessell

4th          ROSEBANK RULER                         Nori Taurian

5th          WOODSEND REGAL CLASSIC       Lily Mace

“OFF THE TRACK”  Overall Champion & Reserve sponsored “Tas Racing”

Champion          AMBERVALE SMUDGE   Jo Geard

Reserve              PROSECUTOR                  Abbie Bessell

CHAMPION “YOUNG HORSE OF SHOW” sponsored by “Kim Newman” VALLEE PARK BELAIR Danielle Whatley